King Charles III has addressed the nation with his 2025 Christmas speech today.
Royal Christmas Day broadcasts have become a tradition over the years, with the past few generations used to seeing the late Queen Elizabeth II appear on TV screens every 25 December.
Now, Charles has taken over and has once again addressed those around the UK with a short speech of his own.
Speaking from Westminster Abbey, the speech was filmed in the Lady Chapel of the medieval church in central London, after sharing positive news about responding well to cancer treatment earlier this month.
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However, viewers noticed one thing during the festive speech that differed from past broadcasts, though it wasn't to do with the King's more religious and spiritual approach.
As part of the speech itself, he spoke of 'journeying forward' while also 'journeying back to remember the past and learn from its lessons', speaking of the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day this year.
King Charles stated: “The end of the Second World War is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us, as the years pass. But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way communities came together in the face of such great challenge, carry a timeless message for us all.
“These are the values which have shaped our country and the Commonwealth. As we hear of division, both at home and abroad, they are the values of which we must never lose sight.”
Charles then spoke of 'journeying' and how it is part of 'the Christmas story', speaking of the holy family and those who made their way from the East to worship Jesus at the time.
“The wise men made a pilgrimage from the east to worship at the cradle of Christ; and the shepherds journeyed from field to town in search of Jesus, the saviour of the world," the King said.
"In each case, they journeyed with others, and relied on the companionship and kindness of others. Through physical and mental challenge, they found an inner strength.”
However, viewers noticed one thing beyond the words: there were no photos. It was a feature which was commonplace in Queen Elizabeth's Christmas speeches, but they have been far and few between since Charles' Coronation.
Though it used to be a talking point in speeches, the King now typically stands before Christmas decorations when addressing the nation.
It's been reported that this could be because it was filmed in a church, with not enough room for a desk of family photos, though several clips were shown on screen, including members of the Royal Family.
The address did not refer to his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, having his titles stripped following continuous controversy over links between the former Royal and disgraced financier, Jeffrey Epstein, with Buckingham Palace adding in a statement that Andrew 'continues to deny the allegations against him'.
King Charles also didn't speak about his 'good news' announcement about his cancer treatment, choosing to turn the attention towards issues affecting the nation.
He also spoke of how faiths can 'provide us with deep wells of hope', adding that you can find 'peace through forgiveness', saying: “Indeed, as our world seems to spin ever faster, our journeying may pause, to quieten our minds – in TS Eliot’s words ‘At the still point of the turning world’ – and allow our souls to renew.”
King Charles then spoke about triumphing by finding the strength in 'the great diversity of our communities', saying: “It seems to me that we need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation; the way our Lord lived and died.”
The King said it was 'encouraging' to discover how much he had in common with people of different faiths, summarising as a 'shared longing for peace and a deep respect for all life'.
He stated that 'there should be peace on Earth', before concluding: “It is a prayer for our times, and our communities too, as we journey through our lives.
“So, with these words and my whole heart, I wish you all a most peaceful and very happy Christmas.”
Topics: King Charles III, Royal Family, Christmas, UK News
Joshua Nair