The King’s Speech 2025: what time is The King on today? Start time and channel
The King’s Speech is set to be broadcast this Christmas - but when is it on? 👑
- King Charles III will deliver his yearly Christmas speech today.
- It is his fourth one since he became the monarch.
- The message will be broadcast to the nation and the commonwealth.
The King will deliver his annual address to the nation this afternoon. The Christmas broadcast is set to arrive in just a few hours time.
It will be his fourth Christmas speech since becoming the monarch, following the death of Elizabeth II in 2022. The exact details on what he would say had been kept under wraps in the run up to the festive period.
The speech is traditionally recorded at Buckingham Palace earlier in December. It has been a firm fixture in the festive calendar for decades.
But what time can you expect to hear The King this year? Here’s all you need to know:
What time is The King’s Speech this Christmas?
The pre-recorded message is set to be broadcast at 3pm this year. It is the traditional start time for the Royal Christmas message.
According to the TV schedule, The King’s Speech is due to last 10 minutes.
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.
The King’s Speech will also be broadcast on the radio - at the same time that it is on TV. For those watching on BBC1, it will be followed by The Scarecrows’ Wedding.
Over on ITV, the speech is followed by Raiders of the Lost Ark. For those who fancy a classic movie.
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].