Christmas Eve National Speech facts for kids
The King's Christmas Speech, also known as His Majesty The King's Christmas Message, is a special broadcast from the King of Spain. It's given to the Spanish people every Christmas Eve since 1975. You can watch this speech on all Spanish TV channels.
Contents
Watching the Speech
The King's message usually talks about the big things that happened during the year. This includes important news about politics, the economy, culture, and social issues. The King also shares his own thoughts and feelings about Christmas.
In Spain and online, the King's Christmas Speech is always shown at 9:00 PM on December 24th.
What the King Talks About
During his time as King, King Juan Carlos I often spoke about important national challenges. For example, he talked about the need for Spain to be united against terrorism. He also mentioned how immigrants were helping Spain's economy.
Important Speeches
Sometimes, the King gives a speech about a very special or difficult event. Here are some examples:
| Monarch | Number | Date | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juan Carlos I | 1 | February 24, 1981 | A time of political change |
| Juan Carlos I | 2 | March 11, 2004 | Sad train bombings in Madrid |
| Juan Carlos I | 3 | March 23, 2014 | Adolfo Suárez's death (a former Prime Minister) |
| Juan Carlos I | 4 | June 2, 2014 | Juan Carlos I's Abdication (when he stepped down as King) |
| Felipe VI | 1 | October 3, 2017 | Events in Catalonia |
| Felipe VI | 2 | March 18, 2020 | The start of the COVID-19 pandemic |
The Speech in Pop Culture
- King Juan Carlos often started his speeches with "La reina y yo" ("The Queen and I"). This became a famous phrase that people often joked about in the media. A comic strip about the monarchy even used it as its title! When King Felipe VI became King, he changed this. In his 2015 speech, he started with "Buenas Noches" ("Good Night") instead.
- The King's speech has also been made fun of in many TV shows, like Buenafuente.
- Sometimes, other important speeches are compared to the King's Christmas speech. For example, Mariano Rajoy's speech for Spain's National Day was criticized because it looked very similar to the King's speech. He sat near the flag of Spain and was filmed in a similar way.
See also
In Spanish: Mensaje de Navidad de Su Majestad el Rey para niños
