Return of the King to Letchworth GC

His Royal Majesty King George VI, who visited Letchworth Garden City during the Second World War, arrives back in the town, this time gracing Broadway Cinema, in the Oscar-winning film, The King’s Speech.

Sunday’s Academy Awards in Los Angeles’ saw the British film pick up four prizes including ‘Best Picture’, with star Colin Firth named as ‘Best Actor’. The role which sees his majesty nervously battle a stutter up until 1939 is a stark contrast from his visit to Letchworth in 1941 where The Citizen Newspaper reports he looked “every inch a king”.

The purpose of the King’s visit was to meet fifty Indian technicians, under education at the Government Training Centre on Pixmore Avenue to add “mutual esteem” between England and India. This was in fact his second visit to the Garden City, the first as the Duke of York in 1926.

The King’s Speech is showing at Broadway Cinema, Letchworth GC. To book tickets visit www.broadway-cinema.com or call the Box Office on 01462 681088.

To experience wartime life in Letchworth GC, visit the First Garden City Heritage Museum’s latest exhibition which runs to 19 March. For more information visit www.gardencitymuseum.org