21st birthday speech of Princess Elizabeth
On 21 April 1947, Princess Elizabeth, the heir presumptive to the British throne, gave a speech that was broadcast to the British Commonwealth on her 21st birthday. Elizabeth was accompanying her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, on a tour of southern Africa. It was her first overseas tour. Background The speech was broadcast to the "youth of the Empire" and was broadcast on the BBC Home Service in the United Kingdom at 6:55 pm on 21 April 1947, her 21st birthday. Her birthday had been declared a national holiday in South Africa. A description of her birthday celebrations in Cape Town preceded the speech on the Home Service. Elizabeth had spent the morning of her birthday at Government House in Cape Town after an earlier plan to ascend Table Mountain by cable car was abandoned due to inclement weather. Elizabeth then reviewed 7,000 troops and associated South African military personnel at a parade at Youngsfield Military Base in Ottery, Cape Town, that was attended by the South African cabinet. She then attended a rally of South African youth before returning to Government House to broadcast the speech. Elizabeth then attended a firework display in her honour before attending