King’s Speech live – Charles gives Christmas message after joining Kate and William at Sandringham
Charles offers message of hope in second festive broadcast of reign recorded at Buckingham Palace
Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more
Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more
The King has delivered his Christmas message after joining other members of the royal family at Sandringham to celebrate Christmas Day.
The festive address – the second of Charles’s reign since the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022 – was delivered at 3pm on Monday in Buckingham Palace’s Centre Room, which opens onto the famous balcony overlooking The Mall and was decorated with a living Christmas tree that will be replanted.
The King called on people to protect each other, delivered a powerful message about the environment and praised volunteers serving communities across the country.
Earlier, Charles and Camilla were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis for morning service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
It comes after the King and Queen waved to well-wishers while attending a Christmas Eve service at the church on Sunday.
Royal Christmases traditionally feature the greeting of people outside the church, and a family lunch with turkey and all the trimmings.
Sandringham House has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs for more than 160 years, and now belongs to the King.
King delivers powerful message about environment in Christmas broadcast
The King has delivered a powerful message about the environment in his annual Christmas broadcast.
Charles said: “Service also lies at the heart of the Christmas story – the birth of Jesus who came to serve the whole world, showing us by his own example how to love our neighbour as ourselves.
“Throughout the year, my family have witnessed how people of all ages are making a difference to their communities. This is all the more important at a time of real hardship for many, when we need to build on existing ways to support others less fortunate than ourselves.
“Because out of God’s providence we are blessed with much, and it is incumbent on us to use this wisely.
“However, service to others is but one way of honouring the whole of creation which, after all, is a manifestation of the divine. This is a belief shared by all religions.
“To care for this creation is a responsibility owned by people of all faiths and of none. We care for the Earth for the sake of our children’s children.
“During my lifetime I have been so pleased to see a growing awareness of how we must protect the Earth and our natural world as the one home which we all share.
“I find great inspiration now from the way so many people recognise this – as does the Christmas story, which tells us that angels brought the message of hope first to shepherds. These were people who lived simply amongst others of God’s creatures. Those close to nature were privileged that night.”
Charles offers message of hope amid ‘tragic conflict around world’ in Christmas broadcast
The King has called on people to “protect each other” as he said the world is living through a time of increasingly tragic conflict in his annual Christmas broadcast.
Charles said: “At a time of increasingly tragic conflict around the World, I pray that we can also do all in our power to protect each other. The words of Jesus seem more than ever relevant: ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’
“Such values are universal, drawing together our Abrahamic family of religions, and other belief systems, across the Commonwealth and wider world. They remind us to imagine ourselves in the shoes of our neighbours, and to seek their good as we would our own.
“So on this Christmas Day, my heart and my thanks go to all who are serving one another; all who are caring for our common home; and all who see and seek the good of others, not least the friend we do not yet know. In this way, we bring out the best in ourselves.
“I wish you a Christmas of ‘peace on Earth and goodwill to all’, today and always.”
Charles pays tribute to ‘selfless’ volunteers in his Christmas address
The King has praised the “selfless army” of volunteers serving communities across the country, describing them as the “essential backbone of our society”, in his Christmas broadcast.
Charles said: “Many of the festivals of the great religions of the world are celebrated with a special meal. A chance for family and friends to come together across generations; the act of sharing food adding to conviviality and togetherness.
“For some, faith will be uppermost in their hearts. For others, it will be the joy of fellowship and the giving of presents. It is also a time when we remember those who are no longer with us and think also of those whose work of caring for others continues, even on this special day.
“This care and compassion we show to others is one of the themes of the Christmas story, especially when Mary and Joseph were offered shelter in their hour of need by strangers, as they waited for Jesus to be born.
“Over this past year my heart has been warmed by countless examples of the imaginative ways in which people are caring for one another – going the extra mile to help those around them simply because they know it is the right thing to do: at work and at home; within and across communities.
“My wife and I were delighted when hundreds of representatives of that selfless army of people – volunteers who serve their communities in so many ways and with such distinction – were able to join us in Westminster Abbey for the coronation earlier this year.
“They are an essential backbone of our society. Their presence meant so much to us both and emphasised the meaning of coronation itself: above all, a call to us all to serve one another; to love and care for all.”
Watch live: Charles delivers King’s Speech from Buckingham Palace
Watch live as King Charles III delivers the annual King’s Speech on Monday, 25 December.
His Majesty is delivering the second Christmas message of his reign from a Buckingham Palace room decorated with a living Christmas tree.
The King, like Queen Elizabeth II, writes his Christmas broadcasts.
Watch live here:
Watch live: Charles delivers King’s Speech from Buckingham Palace
Watch live as King Charles III delivers the annual King’s Speech on Monday, 25 December.
King set to deliver his Christmas message
The King will soon deliver his Christmas message.
Charles’ second festive broadcast will air at 3pm and was recorded in the Centre Room in Buckingham Palace, which leads onto the royal residence’s iconic balcony.
The room is decorated with a living Christmas tree, which will be replanted after the broadcast. From its branches hang natural and sustainable decorations, including hand-turned wood, dried oranges, glass baubles, pine cones and paper.
King Charles to use Christmas Day address to deliver powerful environmental message
The King is set to deliver a powerful message about the environment to the millions of viewers tuning in to the second Christmas broadcast of his reign.
King Charles III, a long-term green campaigner, will make sustainability a key point in his annual festive address to the nation and Commonwealth on Christmas Day in what will be a departure from last year.
To attempt to highlight this, he will speak from a Buckingham Palace room decorated with a living Christmas tree, marking the first time a living tree has been used as part of his backdrop.
King Charles to use Christmas Day address to deliver powerful environmental message
Monarch will speak from room decorated with living Christmas tree in bid to highlight sustainability
Zara and Mike Tindall leave church service
As St Magdalene Church emptied following a Christmas service this morning, Zara and Mike Tindall were also seen leaving the building.
Prince and Princess of Wales hold hands with family at Christmas morning service
Royal fans were treated to the sight of the Prince and Princess of Wales walking hand in hand with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis from Sandringham house on their way to St Mary Magdalene Church.
And in a touching moment, Zara and Mike Tindall’s eldest daughter Mia held hands with Louis, who in turn held his father’s hand.
Duchess of York joins royal Christmas service at Sandringham
Sarah, Duchess of York was publicly back at the heart of the royal family after joining the King and Queen at church on Christmas Day.
The former royal, who has had a troubled relationship with the monarchy, was pictured, smiling, and glancing towards the waiting media as she walked beside her ex-husband, the disgraced Duke of York.
It has been decades since Sarah made the short walk from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church with royals – normally reserved for close family – but in recent years it is thought she has been a guest for Christmas lunch.
She has won plaudits in recent months for her battle with breast cancer, praised for speaking openly about her treatment and setting an example for other women to get screened.
It is thought the last time she was pictured walking to church with Queen Elizabeth was in the early 1990s.
In pictures: Royals attend Christmas morning church service
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments