1935, London Palladium

This proved a very special year, coming in the Silver Jubilee year of King George V and Queen Mary, despite the King's illness. Excitement and expectation was ever greater than ususal and applications for tickets were received from all over the world; an American millionaire offered £500 for two seats! In every respect, the show formed a fitting climax and, sadly, an appropriate finale to the great support that the King had given to the variety profession; the 1935 Royal Variety Performance proved to be King George V's last. The sovereign who, to paraphrase Sir Oswald Stoll's words back in 1912, had invited 'the Cinderalla of the arts' to the ball, died a few months later, in January 1936, leaving the Royal Patronage to live on in his heirs and successors.

Held in the presence of
HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE V
and HER MAJESTY QUEEN MARY