Saturday, August 22, 2009

Kipling and the King

We wrote in this space last Christmas the generational bond between the Master and His Majesty, how in 1932, ten years after this photograph was taken, Rudyard Kipling would poignantly write the very first Royal Christmas Broadcast for King George V, beginning a tradition that continues to this day.

Kipling and the King
Photograph taken 11 May 1922 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Born in 1865, both men were the same age and both would coincidentally die at the same time, Kipling on 18 January 1936, the King just two days later. (Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers.")
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 23, 2009 at 2:52 PM

    One of history's disappointments, is that this man was never made a poet laureate.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Neil WeltonAugust 24, 2009 at 12:50 PM

    Yes he was. Anything is possible with The Monarchist. Look in the left side panel. :-)

    ReplyDelete