The Queen reflected on the birth of her great-grandson Prince George in her Christmas Day broadcast.
She said the arrival of a new baby gave people the chance to think about the future with "renewed hope".
And she had a message for new parents, saying that for them "life will never be the same again".
The Queen also talked about the 60th anniversary of her coronation, the role of the Commonwealth and next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The message, which was broadcast on both television and radio, was recorded earlier this month at Buckingham Palace. It was produced by the BBC and was shown in Commonwealth countries around the world.
The Queen said:
"Here at home my own family is a little larger this Christmas. As so many of you will know, the arrival of a baby gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope."
The BBC reports the Queen also talked about the need for reflection generally and said:
"We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection.
"With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock."
The Queen also recalled the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the day she was crowned, in June.
"The anniversary reminded me of the remarkable changes that have occurred since the coronation, many of them for the better, and of the things that have remained constant, such as the importance of family, friendship and good neighbourliness," she recalled.
She also paid tribute to members of the armed forces who are not with their families at Christmas, saying: "We are forever grateful to all those who put themselves at risk to keep us safe."
And she looked ahead to 2014, when Glasgow will be staging the Commonwealth Games.
Service at Sandringham
Four generations of the Royal Family attended the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham, but the crowd lining the route was disappointed not to see Prince George.
The Duchess of Cambridge told well-wishers that he was more interested in playing with the Christmas wrapping paper than his presents.
