It may be broadcast on national television every Christmas Day, but it seems that the majority of the British public does not turn on the ‘Queen’s speech’ come December 25th.
The Queen’s speech (or ‘The Royal Christmas Message’) to the nation and Commonwealth has come to be perceived as a ‘traditional’ part of the typical British Christmas, but it seems most of us may be too stuffed from lunch to bother.
- 66% said they do not usually watch the Queen’s speech on Christmas Day
- 31% say that they do
However, it does seem that the older you are, the more likely to watch the monarch.
- 41% of those over 60 said they’d be watching
- Compared to 17% of those aged 18-24.
Commonwealth Christmas
The speech, which began in 1932 when King George V delivered a Christmas message to the-then British Empire, is usually recorded a week before December 25th, and is sent around the Commonwealth to be aired at convenient local times. It is also broadcast over radio and the Internet.
And despite the fact that most Brits won’t switch on, it seems a sizeable minority will still be listening in this Christmas.
