After the first Royal Show on 1st July 1912 at The Palace Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, and another in 1919 at The London Coliseum both In the presence of Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary. The King said he would attend a once-yearly variety show provided the profits went to the Variety Artiste’s Benevolent Fund, former name of the Entertainment Artiste’s Benevolent Fund.
The Royal Command Performance as it was then titled became an annual event at the suggestion of King George V from 1921,with the exception of the following years: 1913-18 World crisis, 1920 & 1924 No Shows, 1929 Stock Market crash, 1936 King George V Died & the Abdication, 1939-1944 World War II,1956 Suez conflict, 1990 No RVP, this year the late Queen Mother attended a performance of "Miss. Saigon" on behalf of the fund. In 1955 the Royal Variety Performance was presented twice, Blackpool & London.
The Entertainment Artiste’s Benevolent Fund has always been honored by Royal patronage.
The Royal Variety Performance provides most of the funding to maintain Brinsworth House the Funds home for retired members of the entertainment profession and their dependents.

                                       80th Royal Variety Performance
                                                            2008

The London Palladium is one of the most famous of London''s West End theatres. Built by Frank Matcham in 1910 a famous theatrical architect who designed many London theatres including The London Coliseum host to past Royal variety performances.
The Palladium was Originally used as a music hall then a drama theatre, and followed as the most popular of London variety theatres.
The London Palladium became familiar to many millions in the mid-1950's with the weekly television variety show Sunday Night at The London Palladium - a format that was revived some years later in the late 1980's with Live From The Palladium.

From the 1980's in particular the London Palladium become associated with large scale musicals - The King and I, Barnum, Singing in the Rain, La Cage Aux Follies, Show Boat, Oliver, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sound of Music and many many more

         The London Palladium is now part of The Really Useful Group.