Royal address to the nation

Royal addresses to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations (and previously the British Empire) by the British monarch, outside the annual Royal Christmas Message, only take place at times of significant national or royal events.[1][2]

For the message on Christmas Day, see Royal Christmas Message. For other royal addresses or royal addresses in other nations, see Royal address (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with State Opening of Parliament.

British monarchs have given speeches for centuries but it was only in the 20th century, with the advent of radio, that the Monarch was able to address the whole nation at once. On Christmas Day in 1932, King George V became the first British monarch to make a live radio broadcast to the nation. The tradition of the monarch broadcasting to the nation on Christmas Day continues to this day. Special addresses by the Monarch on days other than Christmas Day, however, are extremely rare and have only occurred at times of significant national or royal events.

List of special addresses

George V
Date Subject Notes Prime Minister Ref
6 May 1935 Silver Jubilee A speech made by King George V at the end of the celebrations of his Silver Jubilee. He thanked all his peoples on behalf of himself and Queen Mary. It was also the first broadcast by him outside the Royal Christmas Message.[3] Ramsay MacDonald

Edward VIII
Date Subject Notes Prime Minister Ref
1 March 1936 Accession to the throne Edward VIII's first radio address to the Empire after the death of his father, George V, on 20 January 1936. Stanley Baldwin
11 December 1936 Abdication crisis The former King made a speech to the Empire from Windsor Castle having abdicated just hours earlier. He was introduced by Sir John Reith as "His Royal Highness Prince Edward".

George VI
Date Subject Notes Prime Minister Ref
12 May 1937 Coronation of George VI and Elizabeth George VI made the speech on the evening of his coronation. Stanley Baldwin
3 September 1939 Outbreak of World War II The King made the speech hours after the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. A dramatisation of the radio broadcast forms the "climax" of the 2010 film The King's Speech. Neville Chamberlain
23 September 1940 First year of World War II The King made the speech just over a year after the outbreak of the war. In the speech he announced the creation of the George Cross. Winston Churchill
6 June 1944 Normandy landings The King addressed the Allies on the evening of the D-Day landings.
8 May 1945 Victory in Europe Day The King's speech to celebrate VE Day after the surrender of Nazi Germany. He also warned that the war with Japan still had to be won.
15 August 1945 Victory over Japan Day and end of World War II The King addressed the Empire at the end of the war. Clement Attlee

Elizabeth II
Date Subject Notes Prime Minister Ref
2 June 1953 Coronation of Elizabeth II Following her coronation on 2 June 1953, Queen Elizabeth II made a broadcast in the evening. She reflected on the events of the day, thanked the public for their support and promised to serve the Commonwealth and Empire.[4] Winston Churchill
13 October 1957 1957
Royal Tour of Canada		 On 12 October 1957, Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Ottawa for a four-day visit to open Canada's first session of the 23rd Parliament on 14 October. On 13 October 1957, the Queen made a live television address at 9 pm from the Governor-General's residence to the people of Canada. It was her first ever televised broadcast and was telecast by CBC.[5] John Diefenbaker
(Canada)
1 July 1959 Dominion Day From a sunny veranda at her Canadian residence at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, the Queen spoke to Canadians on Dominion Day in the midst of a long tour of Canada. In English and French, she congratulated Canadians on Dominion Day and praised the country for having attained unity. She noted that Canada was the first independent country in the Commonwealth. The Queen also said she is glad that in a country too big for her to visit everywhere, television can take her into all Canadian homes.
24 February 1991 Gulf War Queen Elizabeth II addressed the nation on the Gulf War. The broadcast was described by The Times as "unprecedented". The Queen spoke on her own initiative after consulting with the Prime Minister John Major and government ministers before making the broadcast.[6] The Queen said that "we can unite in praying" that the success of the Allied coalition against Iraqi forces would be "as swift as it is certain" and that it be "achieved with as small a cost to human life and suffering as possible". The Queen concluded that following victory "the true reward of their courage be granted: a just and lasting peace".[6] John Major
5 September 1997 Death of Diana, Princess of Wales

The Queen addressed the nation on the eve of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. The Queen dressed in black wearing pearl earrings and a triangular diamond broach, and was seated in the Chinese Dining Room in Buckingham Palace in front of an open window through which the crowds outside the palace could be seen mourning the princess.[7][8] The speech was written by Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes, the Queen's Private Secretary with the assistance of David Airlie and Geoffrey Crawford. The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh then amended the speech in consultation with staff. Andrew Rawnsley described the initial tone of the speech as being perceived by officials at 10 Downing Street as "chilly" and "impersonal".[8] Prime Minister Tony Blair said that there were "some last minute discussions about her precise words". The Downing Street Press Secretary Alastair Campbell coined the phrase "speaking as a grandmother", which was approved by the Queen's Press Secretary, Dickie Arbiter, and inserted into the speech.[9]

The speech had originally been intended to be recorded at 4 pm and then later broadcast, but royal officials were persuaded by the government to broadcast the address live and it was timed to be inserted into the Six o'clock news bulletins.[10] The speech lasted for 3 minutes and 9 seconds.[7]

The circumstances of the broadcast form the "climax" of the 2006 film The Queen, in which the Queen is portrayed by Helen Mirren.[11]

 Tony Blair
8 April 2002 Death of the Queen Mother The Queen addressed the nation following the death of her mother, Queen Elizabeth. In the broadcast the Queen said that the "extent of the tributes that huge numbers of you have paid my mother in the last few days has been overwhelming" and that "I have drawn great comfort from so many individual acts of kindness and respect... So I count myself fortunate that my mother was blessed with a long and happy life. She had an infectious zest for living, and this remained with her until the very end".[12]
5 June 2012 Diamond Jubilee In 2012 to mark her Diamond Jubilee, the Queen said the public celebrations had "touched me deeply".[2] The broadcast, lasting just over two minutes, was transmitted on television and radio at 6 pm in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth. The message was recorded in the Presence Room in Buckingham Palace the previous evening, prior to the Jubilee Concert.[13] David Cameron
7 June 2013 Opening of the new BBC Broadcasting House The Queen officially opened the new BBC Broadcasting House headquarters on 7 June 2013. During her visit, she made a live broadcast to the nation on BBC Radio 4,[14] and it was transmitted live throughout the world on the BBC World Service.[15] In the broadcast, she said it was a 'great pleasure' to see the BBC's new central London headquarters. She added, "I hope this new building will serve you well for the future and I am delighted to declare it open today."[16][17] The Duke of Edinburgh had also been expected to attend, but was admitted to hospital the previous day for an abdominal operation.[18]
1 January 2017 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation In a video message, the Queen, wearing the Canadian Maple Leaf brooch, sent her 'warmest good wishes' of congratulations to the people of Canada on the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. She spoke in both English and French — adding that she and her family are with the Canadian people 'in spirit.' Justin Trudeau
(Canada)
5 April 2020 COVID-19 pandemic The Queen addressed the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on the developing COVID-19 pandemic, thanking NHS doctors, nurses and frontline and other workers for carrying out their roles and assuring Britons that "We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again".[2] Boris Johnson
11 April 2020 Easter Message The Queen delivered her first ever special Easter message on the day before Easter 2020. Though it was a televised message, the Queen did not appear in the video with only her voice being heard against the backdrop of lit candles.[19] The Queen said in reference to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that "Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart, we keep others safe". She said many religions had festivals celebrating light overcoming darkness, which often featured the lighting of candles and that candles "seem to speak to every culture, and appeal to people of all faiths, and of none". Wishing everyone of all faiths a happy Easter, she said: "May the living flame of the Easter hope be a steady guide as we face the future." [20]
8 May 2020 75th anniversary of VE Day The Queen addressed the nation at 9 pm, exactly 75 years after her father, King George VI, gave a radio address on VE Day in 1945.[21] The Queen said that at the start of the war "the outlook seemed bleak, the end distant, the outcome uncertain" but that "Never give up, never despair" was the message of VE Day. Referencing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Queen said "Our streets are not empty, they are filled with the love and the care we have for each other" and that "we are still a nation those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen would recognise and admire."[22]

References
  1. Caroline Davies (3 April 2020). "Queen to address nation on Sunday over coronavirus crisis". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  2. Chris Ship (3 April 2020). "What is the significance of the Queen's special address to the nation during the coronavirus crisis?". ITV News. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  3. Owens, Edward (15 October 2018). The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public, 1932-53. University of London Press. p. 420. ISBN 9781909646988.
  4. "A speech by The Queen on her Coronation Day, 1953 ; The Royal Family". Royal.uk.
  5. Bousfield, Arthur; Toffoli, Garry (2002). Fifty Years the Queen: A Tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Her Golden Jubilee. Dundurn. ISBN 9781550023602.
  6. "Queen hopes for a lasting peace". The Times. 25 February 1991. p. 5. Retrieved 3 April 2020 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  7. Sally Bedell Smith (2 February 2012). Elizabeth the Queen: The real story behind The Crown. Penguin Books Limited. p. 479. ISBN 978-0-14-197333-3.
  8. Andrew Rawnsley (16 July 2001). Servants of the People: The Inside Story of New Labour. Penguin Adult. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-14-027850-7.
  9. Sarah Bradford (5 July 2007). Diana. Penguin Books Limited. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-14-190673-7.
  10. "Queen Broadcasts Live to Nation". BBC News. 5 September 1997. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  11. Julia Kinzler (27 July 2018). Representing Royalty: British Monarchs in Contemporary Cinema, 1994-2010. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 251. ISBN 978-1-5275-1496-6.
  12. "Queen's tribute: Full text". CNN. 8 April 2002. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  13. "The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Message". Royal.uk. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  14. "The Queen tours New Broadcasting House". Radio Today UK. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  15. "The Queen officially opens BBC's new Broadcasting House". The Guardian. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  16. "A speech by The Queen to open the new BBC Broadcasting House". Royal.uk. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  17. "Queen Elizabeth brings BBC news to a halt". Business Standard. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  18. "Queen officially opens BBC's new Broadcasting House building". BBC News. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  19. "The Queen sends message of 'hope and light' on Easter Sunday - CBBC Newsround". Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  20. Hallemann, Caroline (2020-04-11). "Queen Elizabeth Records Her First-Ever Easter Message of Hope Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic". Town & Country. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  21. "Queen to lead 75th VE Day anniversary events". BBC News. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  22. "Streets not empty as filled with love, says Queen". BBC News. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
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