Queen Elizabeth II

A moment of history in the first Christmas speech of Queen Elizabeth II

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24th December 2024
For our last lookback at Royal Christmas Broadcasts throughout the years, we are looking at one of the most historic Christmas speeches: Queen Elizabeth II’s first Christmas address as monarch in 1952. When Princess Elizabeth set out with her husband for a six month Commonwealth tour on behalf of her father. King George VI, on 31 January 1952, she did not know that within days, she…
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King Charles III

The first Christmas address of a new reign

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23rd December 2024
In December 2022, King Charles III gave his first Royal Christmas Broadcast. With his mother’s passing on 8 September, his reign was still very new. His first Christmas speech was a heartfelt and touching address to all of his subjects. King Charles gave his first…
Features

King George V's most intimate Christmas speech

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22nd December 2024
As we explore a different Royal Christmas Broadcast each day from 1 to 24 December, we are able to see both personal, family moments and public events marked. In 1934, King George V added a real family touch to his Christmas speech, only the third he had ever made.   On 29 November 1934, Prince George, Duke of Kent, married Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark in the society event of the…
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Features

A Christmas message filled with hope

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20th December 2024
The Second World War was the major defining event of King George VI’s reign and as such, several of his Royal Christmas Broadcasts dealt with the war. In 1943, he once again focused on the dedication, faith, and resiliency of both service members and civilians across the…
Queen Elizabeth IIRoyal Christmas

The poignant final Christmas speech of a beloved king

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19th December 2024
King George VI never sought the throne but was called upon to reign at a time of huge political turmoil that would result in war. His conduct in that difficult time earned him widespread respect. By the time he spoke on Christmas Day 1951, he was a hugely popular monarch. What would prove to be last Christmas Speech, in 1951, explored both his own personal health struggles and a change for his…
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Features

Christmas Day words that became one of the most famous royal speeches in history

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16th December 2024
It would become one of the most important speeches of a reign and of a century. When King George VI addressed his people on Christmas Day 1939, the usual festivities were very far from his and their minds. Instead, in the first months of World War Two, King George spoke of the huge challenge faced by millions in words that are now part of history. By Christmas Day 1939, Europe was four months…
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