The history of the Royal Christmas message
As we edge closer to Christmas, many of us will be getting ready for ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ and all the traditions that come with it. From hanging decorations with the family to watching our favourite festive films or dedicating a day to Christmas shopping, we all mark the season in a different way every year.
When it comes to Christmas Day, December 25, the annual Christmas traditions continue, like playing board games, enjoying a roast dinner or sitting down to watch the King’s Christmas message
But what is the Royal Christmas message and why is it tradition? Here at BBC Bitesize, we look back at its history and how it has changed through time.
What is the King's Christmas Day message and why do we have it?
The Royal Christmas message has taken place on Christmas Day for generations and every speech has had a different focus. The message, delivered by the monarch of the time, usually reflects on current issues, as well as discussing what Christmas means to them and the public.
Following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III became monarch in 2022 and was officially crowned in May 2023. On Christmas Day 2022, The King made his first Christmas broadcast as monarch and paid tribute to his late mother and anyone experiencing loss and grief.
Delivering a Christmas message to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations is a Royal tradition that has continued through four generations of the British Royal family.
When did the Royal Christmas tradition start?
The Royal Christmas tradition started over 90 years ago on December 25, 1932. On that Christmas Day, King George V addressed the UK and British Empire in a radio broadcast, on what is now the BBC World Service.
BBC founder Sir John Reith had long tried to convince The King to deliver a Christmas address and eventually, he agreed. The first ever speech was written by famous author Rudyard Kipling, known for writing The Jungle Book.
Broadcast live, the first Royal Christmas message in 1932 took place at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Ever since, it has been a Royal tradition, taking place every year, aside from a few exceptions.
When was the first televised Royal Christmas message?
Princess Elizabeth became Queen in 1952 at the age of 25, following the death of her father, King George VI. The longest-serving British monarch in history, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in 2022 at the age of 96.
But in her lifetime, she also made history when it came to the Royal Christmas message. In 1957, five years after she became monarch, Queen Elizabeth II made the first televised Christmas broadcast.
She then went on to make 63 televised Christmas addresses throughout her life, when the tradition started, there was no television - just audio broadcast on the radio. In later years, the public also witnessed the televised message go from being broadcast in black and white to broadcast in colour.
Is the Royal Christmas message live and who writes it?
Every year, the annual Royal Christmas message is usually pre-recorded, lasting around 10 minutes. Decades ago, the messages would be delivered live - but from 1960, monarchs began to record them in advance.
With the advancement of technology, this meant that the tapes of the Christmas message could be sent around the world to Commonwealth countries prior to Christmas Day. The different countries would then broadcast the annual Royal Christmas message on December 25, at a convenient local time.
As mentioned, author Rudyard Kipling wrote the first Royal festive message for King George V. But through the years, it is believed that the monarch writes the speech themselves, with the assistance of fellow Royal family members and trusted advisors.
What time is the King's Christmas message and where is it filmed?
Every Christmas Day, December 25, King Charles III’s annual festive message is usually broadcast at 3pm on television. Through the decades, monarchs have recorded their Christmas messages in likes of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Sandringham.
In 2024, The King delivered his Christmas message in the Fitzrovia Chapel, the chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital in London.
This article was written in November 2025