To think that people under 50 don’t watch the king’s speech on Christmas Day?

[AlertCat]

Just that really. I’ve never watched it because I grew up in a household that wasn’t royalist. I don’t know any friends who make time to watch it. The only person I know who does watch it is my 82-year-old MiL.
So do you watch it? Are you under 50?

It will definitely be interesting to see how attitudes have changed in 10 years time. I think there’s still a “halo” effect from the Queen at the moment that won’t die out just yet; plus so many people have grown up with Charles. But in 20 years time, when we have a generation of adults either born after her death or too young to remember her, will people care in the same way?

I'm 58.

We always had to watch the Queen's Speech as a child growing up. My parents wouldn't have dreamed of not doing so and you had to show due deference to the monarch! It seemed like mostly hot air to me.

I'm not anti royalist, I have no strong opinion either way. Since I finally left home permanently in my early twenties I haven't watched the speech at all. I don't miss it as a feature of my Christmas Day and won't be reinstating it. I don't think any of my three twenty something daughters have ever watched it.

I'm sure my mother still watches it.

Never watched it. Over 50.

I’m late 40s, never watched it. My parents are mid 70s and don’t watch it. I don’t remember my grandparents watching it either. Just not part of Christmas Day for us. As a child, the TV wasn’t really switched on unless there was a good film about 7pm.

haha.
My FIL tried to make us do that one year so we all left the room and left him to his cap doffing.
Can't stand the royal family and would put me in a foul mood if I watched them.
Remember when the COL really hit and the previous chief parasite did a speech in front of her gold piano?? Twats

I'm in my sixties and we always used to have my mum and mother in law on Christmas Day. My life wouldn't have been worth living if I hadn't have let them watch the Queen 😆. But it's a bad time for me as I'm always busy with the Christmas meal when it's on. This will be the first Christmas without either of our mothers being alive so I think I will make an effort to watch it, and remember them.

I've watched it every year since I can remember! It's part of the day! Lunch, clean up, have a snooze, watch the speech. I'm 40.

That being said, my older sister probably hasn't chosen to watch it in 20 years.

Someone's comment about the Royal Family losing support may be true, but there are still huge numbers of people who turn out to stand in the road to watch them go by.
Here i'm over 70 and live close to London, and have never gone to watch the royal family attend any event. (Have watched weddings etc on tv but usually recorded version so I can miss the boring bits)
I once saw the then Prince Charles and P. Anne but only because I was out at lunchtime (i then worked close to where they were going) and this was before either of them were married.
I was amazed to discover many younger people went and queued for the late Queen lying in state, whereas being older, there was no way I was going to spend 13 hours queuing (as someone younger than me did).
Whether I watch the King's speech I can't say because there will be others here and it will depend on what we are doing. However I was once told that it is the only speech in which the monarch writes themselves (by which I mean, not the Goverment).

I’m 31 & would legitimately rather stick pins in my eyes.

No one in my family has ever watched it/listened to it.
Thought it was just something the rich do.

I will not be watching the King's speech. Not interested in anything he has to say to us....particularly after the latest revelations that he & his son have been fleecing us by (among many many other things) profiteering from charities.

That means, he has been making money, tax-free, from donations by members of the public on their taxed income. During a cost of living crisis.

Every year, with coffee while digesting dinner. Then under tree presents.

Never watched it and I'm 48. Absolutely zero interest.

56 never watched it.

Ok.... another curiousity.
Those that have "never watched it" - have you ever in your life watched the news on Christmas or Boxing Day?
(again in the past when telly was the only way to get the news on those days).
The news usually summarises what was said in the speech and shows a few clips. It's pretty much the same as watching it.

I watch it and always have. Although nowadays I record it and watch later as it clashes with the meal usually! I'm 46 - but have watched it for a long time - certainly since I moved out at about 20.

I'm 60 and have never watched it. My parents didn't either.

We watch it. It's part of Christmas Day. I am under 50!

Well over 50 and and have never watched it.

No, I rarely watch the news at other times of year, I definitely don't watch it when I'm spending time with my family at Christmas. Probably when I was young my dad would have had it on at some point.

But I don't really think that seeing a summary as part of the news because it happens to be featured is the same as choosing to specifically set aside time to watch the speech itself.

Never watched it, and I quite like the royals really

@tilypu yes I don't watch TV news these days - I tend to have a quick look at the headlines online.
But back in the 60/70/80/90s the only way to see the news on Christmas/Boxing Day was to watch it on TV or listen on the radio.
I would imagine a lot of people on this thread would have at some point in their lives watched the Christmas Day 6 o'clock news on TV simply because their parents would have put it on - so in turn would have seen/heard the vast majority of the speech.
I don't think I have ever made a point of deliberately switching on the TV to watch it but for the vast majority of my 49 years I would have seen it (or the highlights) simply because it was just on in the background.

My Republican parents would have changed the channel if we did watch the news and the Queen’s speech was shown. But we didn’t usually watch live tv on Christmas day but watched the videos/dvds I received or listened to music and/or played board games.

Won't watch the King's Speech, never watched the Queen's Speech either. I'm 66. My family weren't royalists so never watched it as a child either.

I am almost 50, have never watched it as have zero interest in the royal family. My Dad used to watch it every year, and my in laws do, along with my husband, I just busy myself with something else when it's on.