The Royalist - A Timely Look at The Royal Christmas Broadcast

A Timely Look at The Royal Christmas Broadcast

Saturday, 24 December 2005

"Through one of the marvels of modern Science, I am enabled, this Christmas Day, to speak to all my peoples throughout the Empire. I take it as a good omen that Wireless should have reached its present perfection at a time when the Empire has been linked in closer union. For it offers us immense possibilities to make that union closer still".

It was with these words that, on December the 25th 1932, King George V made the first royal Christmas broadcast. His speech was short, no more than 251 words, and lasted just two-and-a-half minutes. But it started a tradition that has continued to this day.

The text of the speech was written by poet and writer Rudyard Kipling and it was broadcast live by radio from His Majesty's private study at Sandringham. The time chosen was 3pm as it was decided this was the best time for reaching most of the countries in the Empire by short waves from the transmitters in Britain.

Although he had reigned since 1910, it wasn't until the summer of 1932 that George was convinced to give a Christmas broadcast using the 'untried medium of radio'. The King continued to broadcast until the end of his reign. His voice noticebly weaker, his last speech came in 1935, a month before his
death on the 20th of January.

George V's son and heir, King Edward VIII, never made a speech as he resigned the throne just weeks before Christmas on December the 10th, 1936, the day after which he delivered his Abdication speech via a radio broadcast from Windsor.

Not only did the people lose two Kings in this year, they also lost the rare chance to hear from their monarch as, in the aftermath of the Abdication, the new King, George VI, opted not to give a Christmas broadcast.

However, December 1937 saw the man who never expected the weight of the monarchy to fall on his shoulders finally speak directly to the people over whom he would reign for just 15 years. Despite the stammer which was to plague him all his life, George thanked the nation for their support during the first year of his reign. This annual broadcast would be never be anything but an ordeal for the shy Bertie.

There would be no broadcast in 1938, as it had yet to become a tradition. However, the war was
to change that.

In 1939, three months after war had been declared, the King made a speech that was to have a profound effect. Wearing his uniform of Admiral of the Fleet, he reassurred his people in the uncertain times ahead. During the Second World War these broadcasts played a large part in boosting morale and reinforcing belief in the common cause. All of his broadcasts were live except for the
last one, which was pre-recorded. Suffering from lung cancer, he was only able to manage the recording in intervals. Despite this, his optimistic words were to touch his listeners, who weren't aware of the seriousness of his illness.

King George VI died at the age of 56 in on the 6th of February 1952.

His daughter, the present Queen, made her first broadcast on Christmas day of that year. Using the same desk and chair as her father and grandfather, she broadcast live from Sandringham. This message would be recorded and re-broadcast all over the world for the benefit of those who could not get a good reception that day.

In 1953, while on her Commonwealth tour, she made her speech from Auckland, New Zealand; the first and only time that it would take place outside of the United Kingdom.

In 1957, on the 25th anniversary of her grandfather's first broadcast, the Queen's speech was televised for the first time and from 1960 onwards, the broadcasts were recorded in advance so that tapes of the speech could be sent across the Commonwealth ready for for transmission at convenient times on Christmas day.

The Queen has given a broadcast every year of her reign except one. In 1969, when the BBC documentary film 'Royal Family' was shown, it was decided not to record a speech as well. Despite the fact there was something of an overkill of royal coverage during this year, thanks to the fact the public also played witness to extensive coverage of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales, listeners missed the broadcast and wrote to the BBC to complain. A message has been broadcast without break ever since.

The broadcast has kept apace with modern technology. In 1932, King George V had the 'wireless', in 1957 the Queen broadcast live on television, and in 1998 the broadcast appeared on the internet for the first time.

Today, the message is recorded a few days before Christmas and lasts up to 10 minutes, a far cry from that very first 150 second broadcast by King George V.

Since 1932, the Christmas broadcast has become a chronicle of global, national and personal events, reflecting current issues and concerns. Lending a personal touch, the Queen talks about her hopes for the year ahead and what Christmas means to her and many of her listeners.

This year will be the 73rd royal Christmas speech, the Queen''s 52nd. We can only hope that this is one festive tradition which will continue for many more years to come.

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