BBC ON THIS DAY | 25 | 1952: Queen makes first Christmas speech About This Site | Text Only 1952: Queen makes first Christmas speech Millions of British and Commonwealth listeners have been listening to Queen Elizabeth's first Christmas broadcast of her reign. In a tradition that began in 1932, the Queen made her address on BBC radio from the study at Sandringham House at 1507 GMT. She used the same desk and chair as her father King George VI and his father King George V had done. The annual broadcast allowed nations around the world to hear the voice of their monarch, made more human by the power of radio. The Queen began: "Each Christmas, at this time, my beloved father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world. Today I am doing this to you, who are now my people. Message to armed forces "As he used to do, I am speaking to you from my own home, where I am spending Christmas with my family." She also made mention of those serving abroad, referring no doubt to armed forces in Korea, Malaya and Kenya. "I have a special thought for those who are serving their country in distant lands far from their families.

Wherever you are either at home or away, in snow or in sunshine, I give you my affectionate greetings, with every good wish for Christmas and the New Year." In clear, firm tones she thanked her subjects for their "loyalty and affection" since her accession to the throne 10 months ago and promised to continue the work of her father and grandfather to unite the nations of the British Commonwealth and Empire. She asked them to pray for her on coronation day next summer. The Prime Minister of New Zealand announced today that the Queen will make next year's Christmas broadcast from Government House in Auckland. The first Christmas speech | History of government The first Christmas speech — No 10 guest historian series , Prime Ministers and No. 10 , The Monarchy 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.

King George V - Christmas Speech - 1932 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. Yet securing agreement for the first Christmas message broadcast by a monarch was not as smooth as the King’s eventual delivery and, if it were not for efforts of the then Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, it might never have happened. Reluctant speaker By the 1920s radio was increasingly becoming the medium through which leaders could talk to their nations and, in some cases, their empires, with radio the norm in the US by this point. Inspired by this, John Reith, General Manager of the newly formed BBC, wrote to the King in 1923 to inquire whether he would be interested in ‘delivering a message to his people’ on a significant holiday such as Christmas, New Year or Easter. Unfortunately, the King was a reluctant speech-giver – due to a self-perceived lack of oral talent – and also an unashamed technophobe. He politely declined this request, much to the BBC’s disappointment.

The next year the BBC gave the King a radio set, which was gratefully received and regularly used, the King being a particular fan of the news service; but the set did little to encourage him to make a personal address. At the opening of various functions throughout the 1920s, such as the British Empire Exhibition in 1924, the King’s opening addresses were recorded by the BBC, with some attracting around 10 million listeners throughout the empire, a record for the period. However, despite his evident popularity with radio audiences, the King could not be persuaded to give a personal message to the population on Christmas Day. This was due largely to his belief that he lacked the sophistication and flair of other broadcasters, and as the message would be personal in nature he could not hide behind formality to combat his fears. 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. Simple and honest All this changed with the appointment of Ramsay MacDonald as the first Labour Prime Minister in 1929, a man whose simplicity in approach the King admired and respected.

MacDonald assuaged many of the King’s fears about a personal broadcast, saying that a simple, honest approach would be more than adequate for the task. The Prime Minister suggested that Rudyard Kipling could write the speech, thus relieving the King of another anxiety. However, it was the new Statute of Westminster, signed in 1931, that finally persuaded the King. This was the first step in transforming the Empire into the Commonwealth, as it effectively removed the dominion nations from Britain’s direct imperial control, thereby creating a federation of equals under the Crown. At this time of change and financial hardship, MacDonald explained to the King, the Monarchy was pivotal for maintaining unity. So, on Christmas Day 1932, as the people of the British Empire sat around their radios, the King entered their home – verbally at least – for the first time. The event had been widely trailed in the newspapers, the reports emphasising that the King would deliver a personal message to his people as opposed to a formal address – a novelty then. The speech was advertised in one Australian newspaper as ‘proof of the innate solidarity of Empire’.

From his naval days the King felt most comfortable in small rooms, so the speech was made from the box room under the stairs at Sandringham House and not in the grand drawing room where the mini-studio was set up again for the official photograph. Thick cloth coated the table, as the King was so nervous that his shaking hands caused the papers to rustle into the microphone. Despite his reluctance, reading from Kipling’s words the King proved proficient in the relatively new art of broadcasting. 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. Kipling words The King’s speech was widely acclaimed, not only for its delivery but also the majestic words of Kipling, which summed up the geographical vastness of the British Empire in 1932. It is often seen by historians as one of the great speeches of the twentieth century and is catalogued in the British Library.

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. 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. 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’. However, No.10 had a very different view, perceiving that the broadcast had brought the people of the Empire together to hear the voice of the man who after 1931, effectively held the Commonwealth together. Through the symbol of the Crown, the monarchy represented the centrepiece of the Commonwealth. MacDonald felt that a new tradition had been created and was keen for it to continue. Therefore, in the New Year, at his weekly meeting with the King, he raised the matter of the Christmas address.

Knowing that praise in the press for Kipling’s words would do little to win over the King, Macdonald appealed to his sense of tradition. Referring to the many great speeches of Queen Elizabeth I, MacDonald was reported to have said what a pity it was they went unrecorded. To this the King gave him an icy stare and said, ‘Damn Queen Elizabeth’. However, No.10 had a backup plan. They had received many letters from citizens around the Empire, including from Canada and Asia, expressing their pleasure at hearing the King at Christmas. When he learnt this, the King’s strong sense of duty persuaded him to repeat the exercise. Modern-day competition Thus the monarch’s Christmas Speech has become an annual institution that has continued every year since 1932 and maintains its popularity, despite modern-day competition from alternatives aping its style, from characters as diverse as Sharon Osbourne and Marge Simpson. 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. SOLtalk : Special Feature A Christmas message from H.M.

Itï¿½s as much part of a British Christmas as Carols from Kings, overcooked sprouts and the school nativity play. But what are the origins of the annual message from the monarch to the people of Britain? Which monarch never broadcast one and in which year did Elizabeth II refuse to make one? Where did she appear at Christmas 1966 for the first time ever, and why is the message broadcast at 3pm? The first Christmas Day message was broadcast in 1932 and was the idea of John Reith, then Director General of the BBC, who believed that the monarch should use the exciting new medium of radio to speak to the nation as one family. Ten years earlier, as general manager of the British Broadcasting Company, he had first approached George V but the King had declined, saying that the system was still too experimental to be used for a royal message. A decade later, the BBC was preparing to launch its Empire Service, now known as the World Service, and Mr Reith tried again, now able to promise an audience abroad as well as at home.

The King was still sceptical but an exploratory visit to Broadcasting House in the summer set the Royal mind at rest, and plans were set in motion for the event. The reason that the monarchï¿½s Christmas Day message is broadcast at 3pm is not to fill an awkward gap between the end of the festive family lunch and the start of the James Bond movie. In 1932 this was considered to be the best time for reaching most of the countries in the British Empire by short wave broadcasts from the radio transmitters in Britain. George V spoke to the Empire for two and a half minutes from a small office in Sandringham House and his words were heard by an estimated 20 million people around the world by the miracle of "wireless". King George V His message was written by Rudyard Kipling and to read it, the King used a microphone encased in Australian walnut with a thick cloth covering the table to avoid the noise of rustling paper.

His Majesty reflected on the closer relationships which the modern technology had made possible, saying, "I speak now from my home and from my heart to you all; to men and women so cut off by the snows, the desert, or the sea, that only voices out of the air can reach them." In his diary for December 25, 1932, the King wrote, "I broadcasted a short message of 251 words to the whole empire from Francisï¿½ room." His address was later issued as a commercial recording on a 78 rpm disc. Daily Sketch, December 11, 1936 The tradition had begun, but George V was only to make three more Christmas Day broadcasts before his death early in 1936. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward VIII, but the new King was destined never to deliver such a message to his Empire. It was 70 years ago this month, on December 11, 1936, that Edward VIII abdicated after less than a year as monarch.

After Lady Jane Grey and Edward V, he became the third shortest-reigning monarch in Britainï¿½s history and the three are the only British monarchs never to have been crowned That year, there was no Christmas broadcast by the British monarch, now George VI. However, Christmas 1936 was fully celebrated by the fledgling BBC Television Service for the first time with its new high-definition 405 line transmissions which had been launched less than two months earlier. Radio Times, Christmas issue 1936 An hour of programmes began at 3pm with a demonstration of carving the turkey and an edition of Picture Page, while a second hour beginning at 9pm included carols, Cecil Lewis commentating on a "seasonal tour through the Empire" and a 25 minute Television Party. There was no Christmas message from the King for the next two years either. George VI made it clear that he did not want to carry on the broadcast, as he felt it to be so closely linked to his father in the minds of the people. He explained, "I cannot aspire to take his place - nor do I think that you would wish me to carry on, unvaried, a tradition so personal to him".

However, by Christmas 1939, Britain was three months into the Second World War and the King decided he should speak to his people. Dressed in the uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet, he delivered a landmark speech from Sandringham which had a profound effect on listeners. It concluded, "A new year is at hand. We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall be. If it brings continued struggle we shall remain undaunted. In the meantime I feel that we may all find a message of encouragement in the lines which, in my closing words, I should like to say to you: I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, ï¿½Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.ï¿½ And he replied, ï¿½Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be better than light, and safer than a known way.ï¿½" George VI delivering the Christmas Day broadcast in 1944 His daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, made her first Christmas Day broadcast in 1952.

She sat in the same chair at the same desk used by George V and George VI to deliver what was now described as a message to the Commonwealth, rather than the Empire. The Queen talked of her father who had died ten months earlier and of the tradition he had passed to her, as well as asking for the nationï¿½s prayers ahead of her Coronation the following summer. By the following Christmas, the Queen was in Auckland, New Zealand, so 1954 marked the only year when the monarchï¿½s Christmas Day broadcast has originated from outside the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II's first televised address Before 1957, the monarchï¿½s seasonal greetings were only heard, even on television. But on the 25th anniversary of the first broadcast, the Queen was seen as well. To prepare herself for the first televised message, HM received coaching in how to address the camera from BBC announcer Sylvia Peters and, on the day, the broadcasting equipment was installed in the long library at Sandringham, ready for the live transmission. Her Majesty was seen by viewers sitting at a desk on which there were pictures of Prince Charles and Princess Anne, while Christmas cards were displayed in the background.

She said, "Twenty-five years ago, my grandfather broadcast the first of these Christmas messages. Today is another landmark because television has made it possible for many of you to see me in your homes ï¿½ It is inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure to many of you - a successor to the Kings and Queens of history ï¿½ who never really touches your personal lives. But now, at least for a few minutes, I welcome you to the peace of my home." The live Christmas Day broadcast continued for the next two years, but since 1960, it has been pre-recorded. In the 1966 festive season, the British monarch first appeared somewhere she had never been seen before: on a Christmas stamp. Britain was later than many other countries in issuing a stamp designed specially for Christmas. Spain, after all, had issued its first seasonal stamp in 1955. Britain's first Christmas stamps, 1966 Until the 1960s, the British Post Office maintained that it would be impossible to represent Christï¿½s birth on a stamp while maintaining the dominance of the monarch.

But when Tony Benn became Postmaster General in 1965, he decided that Britain should finally have special Christmas stamps with a smaller silhouette of the Queenï¿½s head in the top right corner. He launched a competition for the designs on the childrenï¿½s TV programme "Blue Peter" and the winners were two six-year-old viewers - Tasveer Shemza, whose King Wenceslas appeared on the 3d (2 cï¿½ntimos) stamp, and James Berry, who drew the Snowman on the 1/6 (12 cï¿½ntimos) stamp. Spain's first Christmas stamp, 1955 1969 was the only year of her reign during which the Queen did not broadcast a Christmas message. During the year, a documentary film by Richard Cawston, "Royal Family", had been shown by the BBC and she felt she had already been on television too much. Instead, the documentary was repeated on December 25, and the Queen released a written message to newspapers. However, the Christmas Morning Service from St. Georgeï¿½s Chapel, Windsor, was broadcast for the first time. But the public was not happy.

The TV audience for the previous yearï¿½s message was estimated at 23 million in the UK alone, and many of these viewers wrote to the palace complaining about its absence. The broadcast was reinstated in 1970 and tradition was restored. In 1977, the people of Spain heard the first Christmas message from their new King, Juan Carlos I, which is broadcast every Christmas Eve on most television channels. Last year, however, the Organisation for Multilingualism criticised the King for delivering his message only in Spanish, instead of also using Catalan/Valencian, Galician and Basque, which, it claimed, are official languages of more than 40 percent of the Spanish population. Queen Elizabethï¿½s message was first subtitled for the hard of hearing in 1979 and first appeared on the Internet in 1998. In 1992, the year of the "annus horribilis", the text of the message was leaked and published in a national newspaper on December 23, sparking a clampdown by the Palace on the early availability of the broadcast to radio and TV stations. The source of the leak was never traced.

The Queen made her 50th broadcast three years ago while next year will mark the 75th anniversary of Britainï¿½s first Royal Christmas message in 1932, as well as the 30th anniversary of King Juan Carlosï¿½ first Christmas Eve address. The tradition started by George V, the first head of state in the world to broadcast to his people at Christmas, is continued. DAVE JAMIESON BBC - History - King George VI (pictures, video, facts & news) King George VI King George VI George VI became king suddenly following the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII, in 1936. He worked hard to adapt to this unexpected role, particularly during the difficult years of World War Two. Picture: King George VI making his radio broadcast to the nation after the outbreak of World War II, 3 September 1939. (Getty Images) Features in: The King's speech at the outbreak of World War II H.M. King George VI's speech from Buckingham Palace at the outbreak of World War II. His Majesty King George VI delivers a speech at the outbreak of World War II. Speaking from Buckingham Palace, he addresses his people at home and overseas.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Highlights from the Queen’s coronation in Westminster Abbey and the subsequent procession through the streets of London. Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier. (Footage: ITN Source/ITV Studios) Highlights from the Queen’s coronation in Westminster Abbey and the subsequent procession through the streets of London. Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier. (Footage: ITN Source/ITV Studios) The early life of the Queen Andrew Marr tells the story of the Queen’s happy childhood and her life as a young woman. He traces her life from her birth in 1926 until the death of her father King George VI in 1952. Andrew Marr tells the story of the Queen’s happy childhood and her life as a young woman. He traces her life from her birth in 1926 until the death of her father King George VI in 1952. The King's speech at the outbreak of World War II H.M. King George VI's speech from Buckingham Palace at the outbreak of World War II. His Majesty King George VI delivers a speech at the outbreak of World War II. Speaking from Buckingham Palace, he addresses his people at home and overseas.

03/09/2011 Clive Anderson talks to Tony Blackburn, Geordie Greig, Terry O'Neill and Sharon Horgan. Clive Anderson is joined by Tony Blackburn, Geordie Greig, Terry O'Neill, Sharon Horgan and Jo Bunting. With music from Martin Simpson and Po' Girl. More information about: King George VI King George was born on 14 December 1895 at Sandringham in Norfolk, the second son of the Duke of York, later George V. He was christened Albert after his great-grandfather, Prince Albert. In 1909, went to Dartmouth Naval College and joined the Royal Navy - seeing action in the World War One Battle of Jutland - and then the Royal Air Force. In 1920, he was created Duke of York and began to take on royal duties. In 1923, he married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, youngest daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore. They had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret.

Following the abdication of his elder brother, Edward VIII, George was proclaimed king on 12 December 1936 and crowned in May the following year. He and the queen paid state visits to France in 1938, and to Canada and the United States in 1939, making George the first British monarch to enter the US. George supported Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement towards Germany and Italy. When Chamberlain resigned in May 1940, the king wished to replace him with Lord Halifax, but was persuaded to accept Winston Churchill, whose wartime leadership he then supported unreservedly. During the war George visited Allied armies on several battle fronts and toured the home front extensively. He also created the George Cross for 'acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger' - an award for courage for acts not carried out under fire from an enemy. The Royal family's refusal to leave Britain during the conflict and their active involvement in the war effort won them many admirers.

Although his symbolic leadership in Britain was crucial during World War Two, George's reign was perhaps most important for the accelerating evolution of the British Empire into the Commonwealth of Nations and the post-war transformation of Great Britain into a welfare state. His hereditary title of Emperor of India ceased in 1947 when India and Pakistan became separate independent countries. From 1948, his health deteriorated, and he died on 6 February 1952, a few months after undergoing an operation for lung cancer. His elder daughter Elizabeth succeeded him as monarch. Facts about Queen Elizabeth II - CNN.com 1 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth was born April 21, 1926, in London. She is held here by her mother, Elizabeth. Her father would later become King George VI. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth in 1928. 3 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth is seen with her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, during a visit to Balmoral, Scotland, in September 1933. He would go on to become King Edward VIII in 1936.

But when he abdicated later that year, Elizabeth's father became King and she became heir presumptive. Hide Caption 4 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth is seen in the Duchess' box during a pantomime act at London's Lyceum Theater in February 1935. Hide Caption 5 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II From left, Princess Elizabeth, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret wave to the crowd from the Royal Balcony of Buckingham Palace on June 22, 1939. Hide Caption 6 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II A 14-year-old Princess Elizabeth, right, sits next to her sister for a radio broadcast on October 13, 1940. On the broadcast, her first, she said that England's children were full of cheerfulness and courage. Hide Caption 7 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth shakes hands with an officer of the Grenadier Guards on May 29, 1942. King George VI made Elizabeth an honorary colonel in the Royal Army regiment.

Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth, right, and Princess Margaret wear summer dresses circa 1942. Hide Caption 9 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II With the Drakensberg Mountains behind her, Princess Elizabeth sits in South Africa's Natal National Park on April 21, 1947, her 21st birthday. Hide Caption 10 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II This portrait of the British royal family was taken in July 1947, after Princess Elizabeth, far left, got engaged to Prince Philip of Greece, a lieutenant in the British Navy. He is second from left. To his left are Queen Elizabeth, King George VI and Princess Margaret. Hide Caption 11 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Royal Wedding Party waves from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on November 20, 1947. After becoming a British citizen and renouncing his Greek title, Philip became His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His wife became the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Hide Caption 12 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth smiles in March 1950 as she arrives to a state banquet at the French Embassy in London's Kensington Palace Gardens. Hide Caption 13 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth ascended to the throne in February 1952, when her father died of lung cancer. Here, the new Queen leaves the Royal Archers Hall in Edinburgh after a ball in June 1952. It was the first function she attended as Queen following her father's death. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II walks to the altar during her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953. Hide Caption 15 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony of Melbourne's Government House, during her tour of Australia in March 1954. Hide Caption 16 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II From left, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother visit Epsom Downs Racecourse in June 1958.

Hide Caption 17 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen holds her son Prince Andrew while his sister, Princess Anne, watches during a family holiday at Scotland's Balmoral Castle in September 1960. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II is seen during the State Opening of Parliament in April 1966. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II with her oldest son, Prince Charles, in 1969. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles adjusts his coronet during his investiture ceremony as Prince of Wales in 1969. Hide Caption 21 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip wave from a plane ramp shortly before taking off from Tokyo in May 1975. Hide Caption 22 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II takes a portrait at Windsor Castle for her 50th birthday on April 21, 1976. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen meets the crowds during her royal tour of New Zealand in 1977.

Hide Caption 24 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen stands next to Prince Charles as he kisses his new bride, Princess Diana, on their wedding day July 29, 1981. Hide Caption 25 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II takes pictures of her husband during a horse show in Windsor, England, on May 16, 1982. Hide Caption 26 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen reacts to an elephant as she tours a charity event in London's Hyde Park in June 1987. Hide Caption 27 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II fires a rifle during a visit to the Army Rifle Association at Bisley, England, in July 1993. Hide Caption 28 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II While at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip view the floral tributes to Princess Diana after her tragic death in 1997.

Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen addresses the nation on the night before Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. Hide Caption 30 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles looks back at his mother after wedding Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in April 2005. Hide Caption 31 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip leave London's St. Paul's Cathedral on October 9, 2009, following a commemoration service to mark the end of combat operations in Iraq. Hide Caption 32 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen, second from right, greets a crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011. Her grandson Prince William, third from left, had just married Catherine Middleton. Hide Caption 33 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II drives her Range Rover as she attends the Windsor Horse Show in May 2011.

Hide Caption 34 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen's signature is seen in the visitors book at Aras An Uachtarain, the Irish President's official residence in Dublin, Ireland, in May 2011. Hide Caption 35 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Flags are waved as Queen Elizabeth II leaves St. Paul's Cathedral following its 300th anniversary service in June 2011. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Madame Tussauds London reveals a wax figure of the Queen in May 2012. Hide Caption 37 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles kisses his mother's hand on stage as singer Paul McCartney, far right, looks on at the Diamond Jubilee concert held June 4, 2012, at Buckingham Palace. The Diamond Jubilee celebrations marked Elizabeth's 60th anniversary as Queen. Hide Caption 38 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen speaks at a reception for members of the International Olympic Committee on July 23, 2012.

Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen tours the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London in December 2012. Hide Caption 40 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II A boy in Belfast, Northern Ireland, takes a selfie in front of the Queen in June 2014. Hide Caption 41 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen enters the Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle after attending a commemorative service for the Scottish National War Memorial in July 2014. Hide Caption 42 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen waits to give her speech during the State Opening of Parliament on May 27, 2015. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen sits at a desk in Buckingham Palace in July 2015. Hide Caption Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The British monarch greets the public after attending church services in February. Hide Caption 45 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Prince George gets a boost from some foam blocks for a special family photo.

The portrait, featuring the four generations of the House of Windsor, was commissioned by the Royal Mail and will be featured on a series of stamps to commemorate the Queen's 90th birthday. Hide Caption 46 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II acknowledges the crowd as she celebrates her 90th birthday in Windsor, England, on April 21. Hide Caption 47 of 48 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II On June 10, Buckingham Palace released a new official photograph to mark the Queen's 90th birthday. It shows her with Prince Philip and was taken at Windsor Castle just after Easter. Hide Caption British Queen Takes Christmas Chat to YouTube : NPR British Queen Takes Christmas Chat to YouTube Embed Embed British Queen Takes Christmas Chat to YouTube British Queen Takes Christmas Chat to YouTube Embed Embed Queen Elizabeth II on television in 1957. YouTube hide caption toggle caption The Royal Channel It's been 50 years since Queen Elizabeth II of England made her first televised Christmas address. This Christmas, the Queen has joined the YouTube nation and posted her Christmas message on the popular Web site. The message begins with both recent and archival video of the royal family.

It continues with a more somber call to act out the principles of Christmas. The Internet is a new medium for the Christmas message from Buckingham Palace, which is a 75-year-old tradition. In 1932, King George V made the first Christmas Day broadcast by a British monarch. In that time of worldwide economic crisis, the king said, "The work to which we are all equally bound is to arrive at a reasoned tranquility within our borders; to regain prosperity without self-seeking; and to carry with us those whom the burden of past years has disheartened or overborne." In 1957, his granddaughter, Elizabeth II, then 31, took that Christmas Day speech to radio, and put it on television for the first time. "I hope that 1958 may bring you God's Blessing and all the things you hope for," Elizabeth said. "And so I wish you all young and old, where ever you may be all the fun and enjoyment of a very happy Christmas." Article continues after sponsorship The queen's most recent Christmas video has already prompted hundreds of thousands of hits on YouTube — and a few parodies. Robert Siegel explores the art and the humor of the annual Christmas address.

86 Surprising Facts About Queen Elizabeth II - Diamond Jubilee: Queen Elizabeth II of England - TIME 86 Surprising Facts About Queen Elizabeth II By Anoosh ChakelianWednesday, May 23, 2012 Sean Dempsey / Reuters 1. She speaks fluent French and often uses the language for audiences and state visits. She does not require an interpreter. 2. The Queen has received over 3.5 million items of correspondence during her reign. 3. Since 1952, she has conferred over 404,500 honors and awards. 4. Elizabeth has personally held 610 investitures. An investiture is the ceremony in which an honor is bestowed on someone for their good services; the recognitions are published twice a year, in the Queen's Birthday Honors and New Year's Honors lists. 5. Queen Elizabeth II is Britain's 40th monarch since William the Conqueror was crowned. (Get TIME's new book The Royal Family: The House of Windsor, Past, Present and Future) 6. In 2002, at 76, Elizabeth became the oldest monarch to celebrate a Golden Jubilee.

The youngest was James I (James VI of Scotland), at age 51. 7. About 1.5 million people have attended garden parties at Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland since Elizabeth has been on the throne. 8. Over the course of her reign, she has given regular Tuesday-evening audiences to 12 British Prime Ministers: Winston Churchill, 195155; Sir Anthony Eden, 195557; Harold Macmillan, 195763; Sir Alec Douglas-Home, 196364; Harold Wilson, 196470 and 197476; Edward Heath, 197074; James Callaghan, 197679; Margaret Thatcher, 197990; John Major, 199097; Tony Blair, 19972007; Gordon Brown, 20072010; and David Cameron, 2010-present. 9.

There have been 12 U.S. Presidents during her reign. 10. Tony Blair is the first Prime Minister to have been born during her reign. He was born in early May 1953, a month before her coronation. 11. The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, introduced small, informal luncheon parties at Buckingham Palace to meet distinguished people from all professions, trades and vocations. The first was held on May 11, 1956, and the tradition continues to this day. There are usually six to eight guests and two members of the royal household in attendance. 12. Elizabeth is patron of more than 600 charities and organizations. 13. In the past 60 years, the Queen has undertaken 261 official overseas visits, including 96 state visits, to 116 different countries. 14. In 2005, she claimed ownership of 88 cygnets (young swans) on the River Thames. They are looked after by a swan marker. The first royal swan keeper was appointed around the 12th century. 15.

Technically, the Queen still owns the sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the waters around the U.K. A statute from 1324, during the reign of King Edward II, states, "Also the King shall have ... whales and sturgeons taken in the sea or elsewhere within the realm." This statute is still valid today, and sturgeons, porpoises, whales and dolphins are recognized as "fishes royal": when they are captured within 3 miles (about 5 km) of U.K. shores or wash ashore, they may be claimed on behalf of the Crown. Generally, when brought into port, a sturgeon is sold in the usual way, and the purchaser, as a gesture of loyalty, requests the honor of its being accepted by Elizabeth. (PHOTOS: Extraordinary Images of the Queen from the National Portrait Gallery) 16. In the summer of 2005, she opened the first children's trail in the Buckingham Palace garden for its seasonal opening. 17. The Queen joined Facebook in November 2010, with a page called the British Monarchy, which features royal news, photos, videos and speeches.

However, it is not possible to poke the royal family. She joined Twitter in July 2009, with teams at Buckingham Palace tweeting daily updates. None of the royals themselves tweet. The page follows only one other Twitter account: Clarence House, the royal home of the Prince of Wales. 18. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Queen's first televised festive address, a YouTube channel for the royal family, called the Royal Channel, was launched in December 2007. At the time, the palace hoped it would make her annual speech "more accessible to younger people and those in other countries." 19. Elizabeth was the first British monarch to celebrate her diamond wedding anniversary. 20. The Queen is the only person in Britain who can drive without a license or number plate on her state car. 21. Many of Elizabeth's official tours were undertaken on the royal yacht Britannia. It was launched by the Queen on April 16, 1953, and was commissioned for service on Jan. 7, 1954. It was decommissioned in December 1997.

During that time, Britannia traveled more than 1 million miles (1.6 million km) on royal and official duties. 22. Britannia was first used by Elizabeth when she embarked from Tobruk, Libya, with the Duke of Edinburgh on May 1, 1954, for the final stage of their Commonwealth tour returning to the Pool of London. The last time Elizabeth was onboard for an official visit was on Aug. 9, 1997, for a visit to Arran, Scotland. 23. Elizabeth has visited Australia 16 times, Canada 22 times, Jamaica six times and New Zealand 10 times. 24. Since her accession to the throne in 1952, she has visited Edinburgh nearly every year, taking up residence in the Palace of Holyroodhouse during Holyrood Week, when the Queen and her husband undertake a variety of engagements in Scotland to celebrate the country's heritage. 25. During her reign, the Queen has received many unusual gifts, including a variety of live animals. The more unusual ones have been placed in the care of the London Zoo  among them jaguars and sloths from Brazil and two black beavers from Canada.

There have also been gifts of pineapples, eggs, a box of snail shells, a grove of maple trees and 15 lb. (7 kg) of prawns. 26. Elizabeth has sent more than 175,000 telegrams to centenarians in the U.K. and the Commonwealth. 27. She has sent more than 540,000 telegrams to couples in the U.K. and the Commonwealth celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. 28. Her real birthday is April 21, but it is celebrated officially in June. 29. She has attended 35 Royal Variety Performances. 30. In an average year, the Queen hosts more than 50,000 people at banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and garden parties at Buckingham Palace. 31. There have been six Roman Catholic Popes during the Queen's reign (Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI). 32. She has launched 23 ships in her lifetime. The first was the H.M.S. Vanguard, which she launched as Princess Elizabeth on Nov.

30, 1944, in Clydebank, Scotland. Her first launch as Queen was of the Britannia, also from Clydebank. 33. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have sent over 37,500 Christmas cards during her reign. 34. She has given out approximately 90,000 Christmas puddings to staff, continuing the custom of King George V and King George VI. In addition, the Queen gives her entire staff gifts at Christmastime. 35. Every year she sends Christmas trees to Westminster Abbey, Wellington Barracks, St. Paul's Cathedral in London, St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Crathie Kirk and local schools and churches in the Sandringham area of England. (PHOTOS: Highlights of Queen Elizabeth's 60 Years on the Throne) 36. Elizabeth learned to drive in 1945, when she joined the women's branch of the British army. Both she and Winston Churchill's daughter were members of the group, which was called the Auxiliary Territorial Service. 37.

She was a Girl Guide (1937), a Scouting movement for girls and a Sea Ranger (1943), a section of the Girl Guides focused on sailing. 38. As Princess Elizabeth, she traveled in the London Underground subway system for the first time in May 1939, accompanied by her governess Marion Crawford and her sister Princess Margaret. 39. The Queen is a keen photographer and enjoys taking pictures of her family. The Duke of York is also a photography buff and has taken a number of photographs of Elizabeth, including an official photograph for Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee in 2002. 40. The Queen was born in a private home at 17 Bruton St., London, on April 21, 1926. (The house was owned by the Queen's first cousins.) She was baptized on May 29, 1926, in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace and was confirmed on March 28, 1942, in the private chapel at Windsor Castle. 41.

With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, Elizabeth became the first reigning sovereign to have a child since Queen Victoria, who had her youngest child, Princess Beatrice, in 1857. 42. Elizabeth has 30 godchildren. 43. The first soccer match the Queen attended was the 1953 FA Cup final. 44. She has taken the royal salute from her Household Cavalry  mounted troops known as horse guards  in every Trooping the Color ceremony since the start of her reign, with the exception of 1955, when a national rail strike forced the cancellation of the parade. Trooping the Color is a ceremony performed by British and Commonwealth regiments to celebrate the Queen's official birthday. 45. The Queen has sat for 129 official portraits during her reign, two of which were with the Duke of Edinburgh. The most recent portrait was by Isobel Peachey and was unveiled in September 2010. Elizabeth was just 7 years old when she sat for her first portrait in 1933, which was commissioned by her mother and painted by the Hungarian artist Philip Alexius de Laszlo. 46.

In 2003, she sat for her first and only hologram portrait, which is made up of more than 10,000 images of the Queen layered over one another, giving it a 3-D effect. 47. The first royal walkabout took place during the Queen's visit with Prince Philip to Australia and New Zealand in 1970. The practice was introduced to allow them to meet a greater number of people, not just officials and dignitaries. 48. In 1969, the first television film about the family life of the royals was made; it was shown on the eve of the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales. 49. An important innovation during her reign was the opening in 1962 of a new gallery at Buckingham Palace to display items from the royal collection. The brainchild of the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen's Gallery occupied the palace's bomb-damaged private chapel. It was the first time that parts of the palace had been opened to the general public. 50. The only time the Queen has had to interrupt an overseas tour was in 1974, during a tour of Australia and Indonesia.

She was called back from Australia when a general election was announced suddenly. The Duke of Edinburgh continued the program in Australia, and Elizabeth rejoined the tour in Indonesia. 51. She has opened Parliament every year except 1959 and 1963, when she was expecting her children Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, respectively. 52. She went on her first state visit as Princess Elizabeth to South Africa with her mother and father, then King and Queen, from February to May 1947. The tour included Zimbabwe, Bechuanaland, Swaziland and Basutoland (now Lesotho). The Princess celebrated her 21st birthday in Cape Town. Her first state visit as Queen was to Kenya: her father King George VI died, and she acceded the throne during the tour, which had to be abandoned. 53. Her first Commonwealth tour began on Nov. 24, 1953, and included visits to Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, the Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar.

The total distance covered was 43,618 miles (70,196 km). 54. In 1986, the Queen became the first British monarch to visit China. 55. She has made a Christmas broadcast to the Commonwealth every year of her reign except 1969, when a repeat of the film Royal Family was shown and a written message from the Queen issued. In 1953, she made her first Christmas broadcast from overseas, broadcasting live from New Zealand. Her first televised broadcast was in 1957, made live. Her first prerecorded broadcast took place in 1960, allowing transmission around the world. 56. She sent a message of congratulations to Apollo 11 astronauts for the first moon landing on July 21, 1969. The message was microfilmed and deposited on the moon in a metal container. 57.

The Queen has met at Buckingham Palace the first man in space, Russian major Yuri Gagarin; the first woman in space, Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova; and the first men on the moon, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, as well as their Apollo 11 colleague Michael Collins. 58. She sent her first e-mail in 1976, from a British army base. 59. There have been six Archbishops of Canterbury during her reign: Geoffrey Fisher, Michael Ramsey, Donald Coggan, Robert Runcie, George Carey and Rowan Williams. 60. History was made in 1982 when Pope John Paul II visited Britain; he was the first Pope to do so in 450 years. Elizabeth, titular head of the Church of England, received him at Buckingham Palace. 61. She visited a mosque in the U.K. for the first time in July 2002, in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. f 62.

The Queen has attended 56 royal Maundy services (religious services on the day preceding Good Friday to honor the service of elderly people in their communities and the church) in 43 cathedrals during her reign. A total of 6,710 people have received Maundy money, coins minted especially for the occasion, in recognition of their service. Elizabeth has missed only four services  two for official tours and two for the births of Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. 63. Elizabeth has owned more than 30 corgis during her reign, starting with Susan, who was a present for her 18th birthday in 1944. A good proportion of these have been direct descendants from Susan. Elizabeth currently has five corgis: Emma, Linnet, Monty, Holly and Willow. 64. Elizabeth introduced a new breed of dog known as the dorgi when one of her corgis was mated with a dachshund named Pipkin that belonged to Princess Margaret. Elizabeth currently has four dorgis: Cider, Berry, Candy and Vulcan.

As well as corgis and dorgis, the Queen also breeds and trains Labradors and cocker spaniels at Sandringham House. A special Sandringham strain of black Labrador was founded in 1911. 65. She takes a keen interest in horses and racing. Her first pony, a Shetland called Peggy, was given to her by her grandfather King George V when she was 4 years old. Elizabeth continues to ride at Sandringham, Balmoral and Windsor. The Queen also takes interest in horse breeding. Horses bred at the royal studs over the past 200 years have won virtually every major race in Britain. Elizabeth has about 25 horses in training each season. 66. Her racing colors consist of a purple body with gold braiding, scarlet sleeves and a black velvet cap with gold fringe. 67. She continues the royals' long association with racing pigeons, which began in 1886 when King Leopold II of Belgium made a gift of racing pigeons to the British royal family.

In 1990, one of Elizabeth's birds took part in the Pau race, coming first in the Section 5th Open of the important international pigeon race, and was subsequently named Sandringham Lightning. In recognition of her interest in the sport, the Queen was named a patron of a number of racing societies, including the Royal Pigeon Racing Association. 68. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married on Nov. 20, 1947, in Westminster Abbey. Her wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell and was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the Canmore factory, with silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle. 69. Her dressmakers over the years have included Sir Hardy Amies, Sir Norman Hartnell, Karl-Ludwig Couture and Maureen Rose. Her milliners have been Frederick Fox, Philip Somerville and Marie O'Regan. 70. Her wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold that came from the Clogau St. David's mine near Dolgellau.

Her official wedding cake was made by McVitie and Price Ltd., using ingredients given as a wedding gift by Australian Girl Guides. 71. The Queen has an extensive collection of jewelry, most of which are crown jewels, some inherited and some gifts, including the largest pink diamond in the world. Some of her well-known pieces include a brooch of diamonds forming a spray of wattle that was presented by the Australian government in 1954 and a necklace of large square-cut aquamarines and diamonds with earrings, given as a gift in her coronation year by the ambassador of Brazil, which Elizabeth wore on her French state visit in 2004. 72. Elizabeth has laid a wreath at the Cenotaph  Britain's iconic war memorial that commemorates the dead in both world wars  on Remembrance Sunday every year of her reign, except in 1959, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1983 and 1999, when she was either pregnant or overseas on an official visit. 73.

She has visited the sets of a number of popular British soap operas, including Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale. 74. In 1997, Buckingham Palace's first official website was launched. 75. In 1998, Elizabeth introduced theme days to promote and celebrate aspects of British culture. The first theme day was City Day, focusing on financial institutions. Other themes have included Publishing, Broadcasting, Tourism, Emergency Services, Maritime, Music, Young Achievers, British Design and Pioneers. 76. In June 2002, to celebrate her Golden Jubilee, the Queen hosted the first public concerts in the garden of Buckingham Palace. She attended both the classical and pop concerts. The Party at the Palace show was one of the most-watched pop concerts in history, attracting about 200 million viewers from all over the world. 77. She is the first member of the royal family to be awarded a gold disc from the recording industry: 100,000 copies of the Party at the Palace CD, produced by EMI, were sold within its first week of release. 78.

She hosted Buckingham Palace's first women-only event, "Women of Achievement," in March 2004. 79. In November 2004, Elizabeth invited the cast of Les Misérables in the West End to perform for then French President Jacques Chirac at Windsor Castle. It was the first time the cast of a West End musical had performed at a royal residence. 80. As a young girl, Elizabeth acted in a number of pantomimes during World War II, including playing Prince Florizel in Cinderella in 1941. The productions took place every year in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle. 81. She once demoted a footman for giving her corgis whiskey. 82. She is supposedly the only British monarch in history properly trained to change a spark plug, as she undertook a car-maintenance course during World War II. 83. She collected clothing coupons for her wedding dress, true to the spirit of postwar austerity. 84. The Queen issued a writ against the Sun newspaper after it published the full text of her 1992 broadcast two days before its transmission. She later accepted an apology and a £200,000 donation to charity.

85. Only three other world heads of state have celebrated a Diamond Jubilee during Elizabeth's reign: King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand celebrated 60 years on the throne in 2006; the former Sultan of Johor (now part of Malaysia) celebrated his in 1955; and Emperor Hirohito of Japan celebrated his in 1986. 86. The last and only other British monarch to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee was Queen Victoria in 1897, at the age of 77. At 86, Queen Elizabeth will be the oldest monarch to celebrate this occasion. For more on the royal family, visit: A Point of View: The story of the Queen's Christmas speech - BBC News BBC News A Point of View: The story of the Queen's Christmas speech 28 December 2014 Close share panel Image copyright Getty Images The British monarch's Christmas speech was originally to be a one-off event, but as historian David Cannadine explains, it has become one of the most important fixtures in the royal year.

The Queen's latest Christmas message to the Commonwealth was the 62nd she has delivered during the course of her reign, and across that time, she's only missed a single broadcast, which was in 1969. That year, a special and revealing documentary, entitled Royal Family, had been shown in connection with the investiture of the Prince of Wales, and fearing the risks of over-exposure in the media, the Palace decided there would be no Christmas broadcast, and the Queen confined herself to issuing a brief written message instead. But with that one exception, she's been a permanent fixture in many people's homes and lives every 25 December since 1952, and there can't have been any other living figure who's been so constant and pervasive a Christmas presence during that time. Since the Queen seems both determined and also likely to become the UK's longest-reigning monarch, it's almost inconceivable that any of her successors will deliver more Christmas messages than she has already made, and she has long since given many more than her three royal predecessors put together. Beginning in 1932, her grandfather, George V, broadcast every year, up to and including his last Christmas in 1935.

But there was no royal message in 1936, because her uncle, Edward VIII, had abdicated only weeks before Christmas, having delivered a very different kind of broadcast, explaining and trying to justify why he had renounced the throne. His reluctant but dutiful successor, George VI, the present monarch's father, preferred to stay quiet while things calmed down. His first Christmas broadcast as King was given in 1937, but he did not deliver another the following year, and it was only when he resumed in 1939 that the annual sequence really began, which has continued virtually uninterrupted ever since.

Find out more Image copyright bbc A Point of View is on Fridays on Radio 4 at 20:50 GMT and repeated Sundays, 08:50 GMT David Cannadine is a British historian, author and professor of history at Princeton University BBC Podcasts - A Point of View All the broadcasts made by George V and George VI went out on the wireless, and they were delivered live from Sandringham around 15:00 - with the exception of George VI's last message of 1951, which was recorded in advance, sentence by sentence, on account of his failing health. The Queen initially followed the same practice, broadcasting her first Christmas message in 1952 from the same desk and chair that her father and grandfather had used. Only in 1957, which was the 25th anniversary of George V's first seasonal greeting, did she deliver her festive greetings on television as well.

Two years later, when she was heavily pregnant with Prince Andrew, she confined herself to the wireless again, but since then, all her broadcasts have been televised, initially on the BBC, and from 1997 alternating between the BBC and ITN, with Sky News added to the rotation in 2011. Image copyright PA Image caption The Queen's 1957 Christmas speech This is a very different world of technology and communications from the one that prevailed when George V gave his first Christmas broadcast more than 80 years ago. At that time, the first director-general of the BBC, Sir John Reith, was a fervent monarchist, and during the 1920s he sought to associate the newest institution of the realm with the oldest, in what he hoped would be to the mutual benefit of the wireless and the Windsors. In 1924, the BBC had broadcast the speech that the King delivered to open the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley, and thereafter George V's voice was sometimes heard on the airwaves on ceremonial occasions. But it was not until 1932 that he finally agreed to Reith's suggestion that he deliver a Christmas message to the whole of the British Empire.

Today, when we take instant global communication for granted, it's difficult to appreciate the sheer magic of the first Christmas broadcast For George V's subjects, spread across the globe, that first seasonal message was a kind of audible revelation. This was partly because the King had enlisted the help of Rudyard Kipling in preparing the text of his broadcast, and Kipling was a very accomplished wordsmith. But it was also because, although George V's public manner oscillated between gruffness and shyness, and while he was always nervous sitting in front of the microphone, he turned out to be a very able broadcaster, with a beautiful, resonant speaking voice. Harold Nicolson, the King's official biographer, would later describe it as being "strong, emphatic, vibrant, with undertones of sentiment, [but] devoid of all condescension, artifice or pose".

"I speak now," the King began, "from my home and from my heart to you all; to men and women so cut off by the snows or the desert or the sea that only voices out of the air can reach them." Today, when we take instant global communication for granted, it's difficult to appreciate the sheer magic and extraordinariness of this first Christmas broadcast. But when I visited Australia a few years ago, and found myself stopping over in a small, remote town in Tasmania, it didn't take much effort to imagine the sense of excitement and wonder that there must have been, as the King's subjects gathered round their wireless sets to listen to their sovereign addressing them as part of one vast imperial family, but doing so in the privacy of their own homes. Image copyright ALAMY Image caption King George V broadcasting to the British empire on Christmas Day 1935 in Sandringham The broadcast of 1932 was such a success that George V had no choice but to repeat the formula every Christmas for the remainder of his reign.

The result was that what had begun as a one-off innovation soon became an invented tradition, and there can be no doubt that it brought the king closer to his subjects than had been true of any monarch who had gone before him. Yet it also set a precedent which, once Edward VIII was gone, his successors have felt obliged to keep up, and for George VI, who was afflicted with a serious speech impediment, this meant that broadcasting live to his subjects from Sandringham on Christmas Day was a particularly demanding ordeal. Since 2010, when the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech was released, many people have learned about George VI's stammer for the first time, and also of the heroic attempts he made to conquer it, assisted by the Australian therapist Lionel Logue. The film ends, on an upbeat and triumphal note, with George VI delivering a rousing call to arms on the outbreak of World War Two, cheered on by the entire cabinet and by thousands of people gathered in front of Buckingham Palace. As the critics hastened to point out, there were many factual inaccuracies about this resolutely determined happy ending.

But the greatest error of all, in a film called The King's Speech, was that this was not the broadcast for which he was best known or by which he would be most fondly remembered. Image caption Colin Firth as George VI in The King's Speech In fact, George VI delivered his most famous speech a few months later, when he broadcast his first wartime message to his people at Christmas 1939. After the gaps of 1936 and 1938, it re-established the sovereign's message as an essential event on Christmas Day, and it did so largely because of these comforting words of faith, hope and reassurance with which the King concluded: "I said to the man, who stood at the gate of the year, 'Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown.' And he replied, 'Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.'" The author of these final sentences was named Minnie Louise Haskins, a lecturer at the London School of Economics. In her spare time, she wrote devotional poetry, and it was from one such work that these words were taken.

They became a great favourite of the King, and of Queen Elizabeth, and also of many people who, like them, went through WW2. When George VI died in 1952, he was buried in St George's Chapel, Windsor, where his widow - by then Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother - would later join him. The memorial chapel that was specially created for them is bounded by fine wrought ironwork and some of the words to the side of it are taken from that first wartime Christmas broadcast. They read very simply: "The Gate of the Year."

Question: Who was the first British monarch to make a Christmas broadcast to the nation?
Answer: George V