History Royal Christmas Message

george v giving 1934 royal christmas message

the idea christmas message sovereign british empire first proposed founding father of british broadcasting corporation (bbc), john reith, in 1922 when approached king george v making short broadcast on newly created radio service. king declined, however, believing radio entertainment. reith approached king again ten years later, in 1932, way inaugurate empire service (now world service) , king agreed after being encouraged queen mary , prime minister ramsay macdonald. year, george v read first royal christmas message; king hesitant using relatively untested medium of radio, reassured after summertime visit bbc , agreed carry out concept , read speech temporary studio set @ sandringham house. broadcast introduced ilmington manor 65-year-old walton handy, local shepherd, carols church choir , bells ringing town church, , reached estimated 20 million people in australia, canada, india, kenya, south africa, , uk.

while brother, edward viii, abdicated before first christmas king, george vi continued father s christmas broadcasts; in reading delivered in opening stages of second world war uttered famous lines: said man stood @ gate of year.

for many years, king s speech came @ end of hour-long broadcast of greeting various parts of british empire , commonwealth typically included interviews ordinary people of many occupations such innkeeper in english village, minder in south africa, , lifeguard in australia king s speech serving bond tying commonwealth together.

george s daughter, elizabeth ii, gave first christmas message commonwealth of nations study @ sandringham house, @ 3:07 pm on 25 december 1952, 11 months after father s death. 1957, broadcast became televised, and, until 1996, produced bbc; in 1969 no message given because special documentary film – royal family – had been made during summer in connection investiture of prince of wales. therefore decided not broadcast @ christmas, queen issued written message instead.

the queen ended monopoly, however, announcing message would, 1997, produced , broadcast alternately bbc , main rival, independent television news (itn), biennial rotation. reported daily telegraph decision made after bbc decided screen interview diana, princess of wales, on current affairs programme panorama. denied buckingham palace said new arrangements reflect composition of television , radio industries today . beginning in 2011, sky news added rotation.

sky news recorded queen s christmas message christmas 2012, queen s diamond jubilee year, , first time has been recorded in 3d. buckingham palace reported have explained: wanted bit different , special in jubilee year, doing first time in 3d seemed thing, technology wise, do.