About us. The Prime Minister suggested that Rudyard Kipling could write the speech, thus relieving the King of another anxiety. Yet had Downing Street, and in particular Ramsay MacDonald, not so enthusiastically championed the BBC’s idea in 1932, the monarch’s speech might be one Christmas tradition we would be without. The first of the Royal Christmas Messages, written by Kipling and broadcast live over radio from Sandringham House by King George V in 1932. The first Royal Christmas address was written by Rudyard Kipling, in 1932 and delivered by Elizabeth II’s grandfather King George V. The first Christmas address was 251 words long. The tradition of The King’s (and later The Queen’s) Christmas Message had begun in 1932 with George V addressing the nation and the country’s dominions, sending them greetings and talking about news from the Empire. His gravelly voice was likened to that of a father speaking to his family, earning him the moniker Grandpa England, which was adopted by his granddaughter, our present Queen Elizabeth, along with many ordinary people, by the time of his Silver Jubilee three years later. At this time of change and financial hardship, MacDonald explained to the King, the Monarchy was pivotal for maintaining unity. With radio being the new and exciting medium for entertainment in homes, in 1923 the King was asked by John Reith, Director of the BBC, to broadcast to the citizens of the Empire on a festival such as Easter, Christmas or New Year. … Thanks for a great morning read. They had received many letters from citizens around the Empire, including from Canada and Asia, expressing their pleasure at hearing the King at Christmas. The Christmas message was started by The Queen's grandfather, King George V. King George had reigned since 1910, but it was not until 1932 that he delivered his first Christmas message. A royal Christmas. MacDonald suggested that Rudyard Kipling write the speech, the King was assuaged of some of his fears and the date was set. I’m surprised to hear such details about how uncomfortable he was. These were the opening lines of the first Christmas speech broadcast by King George V in 1932, an institution that has now continued uninterrupted for eighty years. Even his Private Secretary, Lord Stamfordham, who favoured the idea (and whose advice the King trusted and mostly accepted) felt that pursuing a Christmas speech by the monarch was a lost cause. The tradition of a royal Christmas Day broadcast began in 1932 with King George V, who spoke from a studio at the royal residence Sandringham. The message reached about 20 million people by radio. The following year the task of writing transferred to the Archbishop of Canterbury – popular opinion of which expressed none of the praise heaped on Kipling’s words. Question:Who wrote King George V Christmas speech that was broadcast in 1932? This blog gives insights into the history of government – its development, its departments and some of the roles and people involved. In 1932 when King George V made the first royal Christmas broadcast to what was then the British Empire, it was transmitted live from his small study at Sandringham, in Norfolk, where the royal family always spend their Christmas holidays. The Christmas message tradition had been started by his father, George V in 1932, but it was WWII that embedded it as an annual tradition in British hearts and minds. Despite his reluctance, reading from Kipling’s words the King proved proficient in the relatively new art of broadcasting. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ruth Blair and HistorianRuby: An Historian’s Miscellany with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. VJ Day, 15 August 1945. The likeness of George and Nicholas was incredible. An old lady, I am still too young for his speeches. With radio being the new and exciting medium for entertainment in homes, in 1923 the King was asked by John Reith, Director of the BBC, to broadcast to the citizens of the Empire on a festival such … George V made the first Christmas Broadcast. Despite the praise he received, the King and many courtiers expected the event to be a one-off.  The Palace was concerned that annual speeches would reduce their importance to the people, while the King complained that, ‘his nerves in preparation for the event quite ruined his Christmas’. This article was produced as part of the No10 Guest Historian series, coordinated by History & Policy. Contributors King George V; Rudyard Kipling Keywords Speeches; Royal family; Christmas; Monarchs; Kings. Text of speech written by Rudyard Kipling. Support. Brand partners I think, his strictness, rigidity and dedication to duty was a direct response to this upbringing as an attempt to regain control. 'The text for King George’s speech was written by poet … Why was the Perception of the Actress and the Prostitute Interchangeable in the Eighteenth Century? Required fields are marked *. © Ruth Blair and HistorianRuby: An Historian’s Miscellany, 2016 – 2020. Nervous, his hands shook and the rustle of the papers he held was muffled by the thick cloth covering the table where he sat for the two and a half minute duration of the speech. 6 1. The Queen's Christmas Message (also known as The King's Christmas Message in the reign of a male monarch, formally as Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech) is a broadcast made by the sovereign of the Commonwealth realms to the Commonwealth of Nations each Christmas. The BBC starts broadcasting to The Empire in 1932. 22 January 1924: Britain’s first Labour government takes office, What’s the Context? It was broadcast live just after 3pm, which was considered the best time for reaching most of the countries of the empire by short-wave radio. Once his brother died and his life was mapped out for him he lost autonomy in most things he could only really control his person and those around him. Through one of the marvels of modern Science, I am enabled, this Christmas Day, to speak to all my peoples throughout the Empire. Winston Churchill’s ‘Sinews of Peace’ speech, Fulton, 5 March 1946, What’s the context? Historians such as Kenneth Rose considered it a loss that after 1932, the monarch’s Christmas Speech was not penned by writers such as Kipling.