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

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. It was also the first broadcast by a monarch outside the Royal Christmas Message. 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
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.[3] 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".[3] 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.[4][5] 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".[5] 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.[6]

The speech had originally been intended to be recorded at 4pm 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.[7] The speech lasted for 3 minutes and 9 seconds.[4]

The circumstances of the broadcast form the "climax" of the 2006 film The Queen, in which the Queen is portrayed by Helen Mirren.[8]

 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".[9]
5 June 2012 Diamond Jubilee In 2012 to mark her Diamond Jubilee the Queen said the public celebrations had "touched me deeply".[2] David Cameron
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.[10] 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." [11]
8 May 2020 75th anniversary of VE Day The Queen addressed the nation at 9pm, exactly 75 years after her father, King George VI, gave a radio address on VE Day in 1945.[12] 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."[13]

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. "Queen hopes for a lasting peace". The Times. 25 February 1991. p. 5. Retrieved 3 April 2020 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Sarah Bradford (5 July 2007). Diana. Penguin Books Limited. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-14-190673-7.
  7. "Queen Broadcasts Live to Nation". BBC News. 5 September 1997. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  8. 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.
  9. "Queen's tribute: Full text". CNN. 8 April 2002. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  10. "The Queen sends message of 'hope and light' on Easter Sunday - CBBC Newsround". Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  11. 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.
  12. "Queen to lead 75th VE Day anniversary events". BBC News. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  13. "Streets not empty as filled with love, says Queen". BBC News. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
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