The first King’s Christmas message in 70 years

When King George VI made his last Christmas speech over 70 years ago in 1951, the only way to tune in was on the radio. An estimated 20 million people adjusted their dials to take in the annual message, and while the speech itself is a tradition, the ways in which we engage with it have radically changed over the years.

This year, as King Charles III addresses the nation for his first Royal Christmas Message, new research from Apple indicates nearly 38 million people will watch or listen. Live television is still the preferred method (36%), but 7% of us will watch it on catch up TV, while one in 25 (4%) will stream it on their smartphone.

Smart technology is now a staple in our lives, so it comes as no surprise that gadgets are once again prominent on Christmas wish lists this year, with approximately one in three (32%) of us hoping to find a tech gift by the tree on Christmas Day morning.

Aston spoke to tech expert Stuart Miles.