The King’s Speech: when is it on and how to watch it in 2024?

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How you can watch the King’s Speech this Christmas 🎄
  • The King’s Speech has been a fixture of Christmas Day for nearly 100 years.
  • It started out as a radio broadcast but is now part of the TV schedule.
  • King Charles III will make his third Christmas message.

King Charles III will deliver the traditional Royal Christmas message this afternoon. It is his third festive broadcast after becoming the monarch.

A broadcast from the King or Queen has been a fixture of Christmas day in Britain for more than 90 years. It is usually pre-recorded earlier in December.

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It has been kept under wraps as we head into the festive period, but the timings have been confirmed. Here’s all you need to know:

What time is The King’s Speech this Christmas?

The speech is scheduled to be broadcast at 3pm - the traditional time for the Royal Christmas message. It is due to last 10 minutes.

King Charles III attends "Gladiator II" The Royal Film Performance and Global Premiere at Leicester Square on November 13, 2024King Charles III attends "Gladiator II" The Royal Film Performance and Global Premiere at Leicester Square on November 13, 2024
King Charles III attends "Gladiator II" The Royal Film Performance and Global Premiere at Leicester Square on November 13, 2024 | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

What channel is The King’s Speech on?

It will be broadcast across BBC1, BBC2 and ITV at the same time on Christmas Day (3pm). It also airs on news channels like BBC News, Sky News, GB News, etc.

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The King’s Speech will also be broadcast on the radio - at the same time that it is on TV.

When was the first Royal Christmas Message?

The King or Queen’s speech has been an annual tradition for as long as pretty much all of us have been alive. We are nearing the 100th anniversary of the first one - and it started as a radio message, before it started to be televised during the reign of Elizabeth II.

George V was the first monarch to give a Christmas speech, he was initially approached in 1922 but declined. The first one was broadcast on the radio in 1932 and was scripted by Rudyard Kipling.

The only time since 1932 that a royal Christmas message was not broadcast was in 1936 and that was due to Edward III abdicating two weeks before Christmas. The first one to air on TV came in 1957.

What are you most excited to watch on the TV this Christmas? Let me know your picks by email: [email protected].

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