King Charles III has used his Christmas message to hail the efforts of healthcare workers and all those who support others, praising the medical staff who provided “strength, care and comfort” during his and the Princess of Wales’ cancer treatments.
In his third Christmas address, the 76-year-old British sovereign spoke of how “all of us go through some form of suffering at some stage in our life, be it mental or physical.”
“The degree to which we help one another – and draw support from each other, be we people of faith or of none – is a measure of our civilization as nations,” he added, as footage showed the sovereign and his wife Queen Camilla visiting a cancer treatment center in London back in April as he returned to public-facing duties after his own diagnosis.
As the King spoke about the royal family meeting and listening to those who “dedicate their lives to helping others,” William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, were seen in a video from October talking with emergency responders who were called out to the fatal stabbings in Southport, northwest England, over the summer.
King Charles, whose message was filmed at a former hospital chapel in central London, said he was “thinking especially of the many thousands of professionals and volunteers here in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth who, with their skills and out of the goodness of their heart, care for others – often at some cost to themselves.”
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The annual festive broadcast is generally recorded at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. But this year the British monarch opted for an external location with links to the medical community to reflect the themes of his message.
Charles’ decision marked the first time in over a decade that the address has not been filmed on the royal estate. The last message recorded outside a royal residence was in 2006 when the late Queen Elizabeth II recorded her message at Southwark Cathedral.
The King expressed his gratitude to the medical teams who helped him and his family this year.
“From a personal point of view, I offer special heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who this year have supported me and other members of my family through the uncertainties and anxieties of illness, and have helped provide the strength, care and comfort we have needed,” he said.
“I am deeply grateful too to all those who have offered us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement.”
Amid wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, the King said that “on this Christmas Day, we cannot help but think of those for whom the devastating effects of conflict in the Middle East, in Central Europe, in Africa and elsewhere pose a daily threat to so many people’s lives and livelihoods.”
He also spoke of “the humanitarian organizations working tirelessly to bring vital relief” and pointed to the Gospels which “speak so vividly of conflict and teach the values with which we can overcome it.”
King Charles and Camilla are spending the holiday at Sandringham, a country estate in rural Norfolk about 100 miles north of London, where 45 members of the family are expected to be gathering for Christmas Day.
Earlier Wednesday, the Windsors attended the traditional Christmas Day service on the estate. Many royal fans, some wearing Christmas hats, waited for hours to watch as the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children joined King Charles and Camilla on a walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church.
One royal who did not join the clan’s Christmas gathering at the private Norfolk estate this year was Prince Andrew who hit the headlines again in recent weeks over his links to an alleged Chinese spy. The Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, were expected to spend the day together at their Royal Lodge home in Windsor Great Park, according to multiple British media reports.
In the King’s festive message, he reflected on his trip to Samoa in October, where he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting – his first as head of the organization. During the biennial summit, Britain faced renewed calls from some members to pay compensation for its historical role in slavery.
“Across the Commonwealth, we are held together by a willingness to listen to each other, to learn from one another, and to find just how much we have in common,” Charles said. “Because, through listening, we learn to respect our differences, to defeat prejudice, and to open up new possibilities.”
In the United Kingdom, he also hailed community cohesion in the wake of violent riots sparked after three girls were killed and ten injured in a stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in July. He expressed his “deep sense of pride” at how people came together “not to repeat these behaviors, but to repair.”
“To repair not just buildings, but relationships. And, most importantly, to repair trust; by listening and, through understanding, deciding how to act for the good of all,” he said, as footage showed the cleaning up operation with residents sweeping streets and clearing bricks.
The broadcast ended with a rendition of “Once in Royal David’s City” sung by Inner Voices, a London-based youth choir with video overlaid showing highlights of the royal family conducting engagements over the past 12 months.
The monarch’s speech is a tradition going back 90 years. The first Christmas message was broadcast over the radio in 1932 by George V. It wasn’t until Elizabeth II in 1957 when it was first televised and is now a staple element for many Britons and one of the most watched programs on Christmas Day.