Queen Elizabeth II too ill to attend Christmas Day church service

Queen Elizabeth II missed the Christmas Day church service attended by the British royal family every year because she was still suffering with a heavy cold.

It is the first time since 1988 the Queen has missed the service.

The 90-year-old, who is the supreme governor of the Church of England, stayed indoors but was well enough to join in the family festivities at home afterwards, a spokesman said.

The royal family traditionally spends Christmas together at her Sandringham private estate in Norfolk, eastern England.

By custom they walk together to and from church, a rare occasion for the public to meet several members of the royal family.

"Her Majesty The Queen will not attend church at Sandringham this morning," a palace spokesman said.

"The Queen continues to recover from a heavy cold and will stay indoors to assist with her recovery.

"Her Majesty will participate in the royal family Christmas celebrations during the day."

The monarch and her 95-year-old husband Prince Philip delayed their departure from London to Sandringham from Wednesday to Thursday as they were both suffering from heavy colds.

Prince Philip was well enough to attend the church service and was seen alongside their eldest son Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

In her pre-recorded Christmas Day broadcast to the Commonwealth, the queen paid tribute to inspirational unsung heroes, focusing on "ordinary people doing extraordinary things".

"I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special," she said.

"They are an inspiration."

Though she recalled the Games and her 90th birthday celebrations, the head of state did not mention the referendum in which Britain voted to leave the European Union, the dominating feature of 2016 in the UK.

She chose to focus on smaller-scale decisions instead.

"Even with the inspiration of others, it's understandable that we sometimes think the world's problems are so big that we can do little to help," she said.

"On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice, but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine."

Queen Elizabeth, who is the supreme governor of the Church of England, often refers directly to her guiding Christian faith in her Christmas message.

"Christ's example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love," she said in conclusion.

"The message of Christmas reminds us that inspiration is a gift to be given as well as received, and that love begins small but always grows.

"I wish you all a very happy Christmas."

The queen's Yuletide message is an annual tradition screened in Britain on Christmas Day, as many families recover from their turkey lunch. It is broadcast at convenient local times across the Commonwealth.

It is one of the rare occasions where the queen speaks from the heart, without having to consult government ministers.

The tradition was started on radio by her grandfather king George V in 1932. It is now filmed in advance in high-definition and posted on YouTube.