"This last year has reminded us that this world is not always an easy or a safe place to live in, but it is the only place we have," said the 79-year-old monarch in a snippet released in advance of Sunday's broadcast.

Buckingham Palace described the theme of her remarks as praising "the generous humanitarian response and compassion shown to those who suffered from the succession of natural disasters and acts of terrorism during the year".

The past year has been marked by natural disasters, including the Asian tsunami, the Kashmir earthquake and Hurricane Katrina in the southern United States, as well as the July 7 suicide bombings in London which killed 56.

Queen Elizabeth recorded this year's Christmas message in the chapel of Buckingham Palace in central London, together with a carol sung by choirboys from the Chapel Royal.

It will be broadcast in Britain on Sunday at 3:00 pm (1500 GMT), as well as in Commonwealth nations around the world. The full text will also be posted on the royal family's Internet site (www.royal.gov.uk).