Queen to pay Olympics tribute in Christmas speech

The Queen will pay tribute to Great Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes during this year's Christmas speech.

The annual message, which is traditionally recorded at Buckingham Palace, will be broadcast for the first time in 3D on Christmas Day.

Britain's monarch will say during the address: "As London hosted a splendid summer of sport, all those who saw the achievement and courage at the Olympic and Paralympic Games were further inspired by the skill, dedication, training and teamwork of our athletes.

"In pursuing their own sporting goals, they gave the rest of us the opportunity to share something of the excitement and drama."

The Queen took part in the opening ceremony for the London Games in a skit with James Bond actor Daniel Craig.