Queen Elizabeth's World War III Speech From 1983 Revealed

Royal penned the announcement in 1983

By Lily Harrison Aug 01, 2013 11:16 PMTags
Queen Elizabeth IIi-Images, PacificCoastNews.com

A speech penned by Queen Elizabeth II and her royal staff in anticipation of World War III has been released by the National Archives.

The document, which was created in 1983 at the height of the Cold War, shows that the royal was planning to address the masses and calm citizens should a possible worst case scenario occur.

"When I spoke to you less than three months ago, we were all enjoying the warmth and fellowship of a family Christmas," the "final speech," written by government officials, begins. "The horrors of war could not have seemed more remote as my family and I shared our Christmas joy with the growing family of the Commonwealth."

The address was under a 30-year embargo and was only just released on Wednesday. It appears that at the time, Whitehall officials had decided it best to draft up a letter just in case a war broke out between the Soviet Union and the West.

The speech even touched upon the Queen's second eldest son, Andrew, who was "in action with his unit" in the Royal Navy at that time.

"…we pray continually for his safety and for the safety of all servicemen and women at home and overseas," the text continues. "It is this close bond of family life that must be our greatest defense against the unknown."

"If families remain united and resolute, giving shelter to those living alone and unprotected, our country's will to survive cannot be broken."

The 87-year-old speaks about "the madness of war" in her proposed address to the nation.

"I have never forgotten the sorrow and the pride I felt as my sister and I huddled around the nursery wireless set listening to my father's inspiring words on that fateful day in 1939," the document includes, referring to King George VI's World War II speech.

"Not for a single moment did I imagine that this solemn and awful duty would one day fall to me."

Many other historical documents were released from the archives this week including letters to Margaret Thatcher and information on the U.K. deploying a laser weapon during the Falklands war.