Prince Charles In Tribute To 'Devoted Mama'

Prince Charles has paid a personal tribute to his "Mama's" amazing record of "devotion, dedication and commitment" in her role as monarch throughout six decades.

"The fact that my Mama has been a constant feature on the scene has provided that sense, I think, of continuity in a time of immense change over 60 years."

In a one-hour programme, A Jubilee Tribute To The Queen By The Prince Of Wales, to be televised on BBC One on Friday evening, the heir to the throne also says: "My Mama takes great pride in her family, from being a young mother at the start of her reign, to now being a great-grandmother twice over."

The Prince of Wales draws on archive news reels and never-before-seen home movies and photographs to reflect on Her Majesty's 60-year reign.

In one sequence the Queen's eldest son adds new insight into the days leading up to his mother's Coronation in 1953, recalling how she practiced wearing her crown.

"I remember my Mama coming, you know, up, when we were being bathed as children, wearing the crown. It was quite funny - practising," he says.

The prince also shares footage from family holidays, including one sequence filmed by the Queen, in which we see a young Prince Charles and Princess Anne playing and being buried in the sand at Holkham beach in Norfolk, next to the corgis.

In his tribute, the Prince also uses news archive to recall key public moments, including the Queen's many overseas tours and visits.

"I think just the sheer number of heads of state who are coming to the Jubilee celebrations shows the respect and affection with which my Mama is held all around the world" he says.

Referring to the Commonwealth, he adds: "I so admire the way she's managed to hold that unique association... together."

The prince also points out that the Queen has opened Parliament in Britain 59 times.

"I've always thought my Mama looks absolutely wonderful in that tiara", he says, before noting that two of her 12 prime ministers were not even born when she came to the throne.

In his tribute, the prince shares personal memories too, such as his mother and father visiting him on sports day in 1957, and his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969, for which they rehearsed in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

Charles says that Her Majesty has helped to "anchor things a bit and give reassurance that something is there which is perhaps a little more timeless than other things which are changing all the time".

As this weekend's Diamond Jubilee celebrations draw closer, the prince concludes the occasion "provides an opportunity for celebration, remembering the things that help to define us, perhaps".