History Book - The queen’s speech

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Monday, December 13th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Next up, the WORLD History Book. Today, a sort of mashup between History Book and our occasional “Notable Speech.”

Every year, the British monarch delivers a Christmas address, officially titled “Her Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech.” Or “His Majesty,” if the monarch is a king. Marking its 88th anniversary this year, the message has become a staple of Christmas Day in the United Kingdom and around the Commonwealth.

EICHER: Today, WORLD senior correspondent Katie Gaultney returns to the place it all began.

BROADWAY STRING ENSEMBLE: CHRISTMAS MEDLEY

KATIE GAULTNEY, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: The monarch’s annual Yuletide message began as a radio broadcast in 1932, on the BBC during the reign of King George V. The king had resisted making an address for over a decade, believing radio was an undignified medium. But, with Rudyard Kipling writing the speech for the king, he moved forward.

The king’s nerves almost got the better of him. Aides covered the table he broadcasted from with a thick cloth to muffle the rustling of the papers as his hands trembled.

GEORGE V: To all, to each, I wish a happy Christmas. God bless you.

But, the speech was a hit with his listening audience, and a royal Christmas message became an annual fixture. After George V’s death, all expected his son Edward to continue the tradition. But Edward’s abdication just before Christmas meant he never made a Christmas Day broadcast.

Instead, his brother George VI carried the torch. The Christmas addresses brought the British Empire together during the dark days of the Second World War. He persisted through speech difficulties—as colorfully illustrated in the 2010 film The King’s Speech. From George VI’s actual 1937 message:

GEORGE VI: We have promised to try and be worthy of your [pauses] trust.

101 STRINGS ORCHESTRA: THE GLORY OF CHRISTMAS—SILENT NIGHT

His daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, has delivered the annual message since ascending the throne in 1952. At first, the broadcasts aired live on radio or TV. But in 1960, the queen’s handlers began pre-recording so countries could choose the best time to air it.

QUEEN ELIZABETH: My own family often gather round to watch television, as they are at this moment. And that is how I imagine you now.

She writes her speeches herself, occasionally receiving input from trusted advisors. And she often references personal milestones and current events. Her 1968 speech—delivered during a time of geopolitical and cultural unrest—made a special emphasis on peace.

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: CHRISTMAS CLASSICS—LO, HOW A ROSE E'ER BLOOMING

QUEEN ELIZABETH: Philosophers and prophets have concluded that peace is better than war, love is better than hate, and that mankind can only find progress in friendship and cooperation.

The year 1992 was a particularly heavy one for the queen, with the divorces of three of her four children. Then, as scandal ravaged her family, a catastrophic fire swept through Windsor Castle, destroying much of it. She touched on her personal trials in that year’s Christmas address.

QUEEN ELIZABETH: Like many other families, we have lived through some difficult days this year. The prayers, understanding, and sympathy given to us by so many of you in good times and bad have lent us great support and encouragement.

Her viewers had a sneak peek of what she was going to say that year. The Sun, a British tabloid, leaked the contents of her address two days early. The queen sued for breach of copyright and won, giving charity the 200,000 pounds awarded to her.

In 1997, more personal heartache and more technological advancement. In the first royal Christmas address posted to the internet, the Queen shared her grief over her former daughter-in-law’s death.

QUEEN ELIZABETH: We all felt the shock and sorrow of Diana’s death. Thousands upon thousands of you expressed your grief most poignantly in the wonderful flowers and messages left in tribute to her.

But, with Diana’s death too came PR backlash for the royals, whom some accused of caring too little or too late about the princess. The BBC had had a monopoly on broadcasting the annual speech until 1997, when Buckingham Palace began alternating between BBC and rival ITN. Eventually, Sky News was also added to the rotation.

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

As the years went by, the royals experienced highs—weddings, births, Olympic success—and lows, like the deaths of Elizabeth’s mother and sister, more wars, and more scandals. Over time, her speeches have more explicitly reflected her Christian faith, and last year—the first Christmas of the pandemic era—she emphasized that the light of Christmas reminds us of hope for better days.

QUEEN ELIZABETH: For Christians, Jesus is the light of the world. But we can’t celebrate his birth today in quite the usual way.

And she remarked on the resilience of the human spirit.

QUEEN ELIZABETH: People have risen magnificently to the challenges of the year, and I'm so proud and moved by this quiet, indomitable spirit.

While the contents of this year’s speech remain unknown, the Queen has experienced another year of trials, with conflict among her children and grandchildren, the death of her husband of 73 years, and her own declining health. Perhaps she will heed her own closing remarks from last year’s speech…

QUEEN ELIZABETH: The Bible tells how a star appeared in the sky, its light guiding the shepherds and wise men to the scene of Jesus’ birth. Let the light of Christmas, the spirit of selflessness, love, and above all, hope, guide us in the times ahead. It is in that spirit that I wish you a very happy Christmas.

That’s this week’s History Book. I’m Katie Gaultney.

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