King Charles to make history in King’s Speech to highlight important message

When his second Christmas speech is broadcast across the UK there will be something different about the message given by King Charles III.

For the monarch to deliver a message at Christmas is a regular fixture in the festive viewing schedule, and last year was the first time King Charles III made his Christmas address to the nation.

Last year was a significant moment for Charles, with his first Christmas speech coming just months after the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

While the late Queen tended to sit for her Christmas speeches, Charles was standing to deliver his address which he had given from St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Officially crowned earlier this year, King Charles' second Christmas message will see him do something for the first time to help hammer home his point.

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While the monarch delivers their speech in a typically Christmassy setting, with the tree usually visible in the background, this year's address will feature a still-living tree.

King Charles III's speech will be delivered from a room in Buckingham Palace with the replantable Christmas tree used as the backdrop.

Decorated with natural ornaments made from sustainable materials, it's meant to reinforce the message of sustainability, which ties into the King's support for the environment.

What King Charles will say in his speech is not yet known, but the speech is a chance for the monarch to talk about issues that have chimed with people.

The Royal Family is not supposed to get involved with politics, but Charles has always been a supportive voice to environmental causes and has continued that since becoming King.

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He gave a speech at the recent COP28 climate change summit in Dubai and has used his public platform to remain a voice on the dangers our planet's environment faces.

As for the tree that will feature in the speech, living trees are dug up at the roots so they can be replanted and used again in subsequent years.

The plan is for the tree to return to the soil after Christmas, meaning you get years of service from it as a Christmas tree without having to chop it down.

Meanwhile, an upcoming documentary has indicated that Charles pokes fun at his 'sausage fingers' almost as much as everyone else does.

If you've seen his hands then you'll know what that means, and a clip from the documentary Charles III: The Coronation Year showed the King and Prince William joking about fitting a clasp as he told his son 'you haven’t got sausage fingers like mine'.

So there you go, sausage finger jokes now have royal approval.