Charles III of England praises solidarity in his first Christmas speech as king

As every December 25, and at the same time since 1932 [at 3 in the afternoon, one hour more in mainland Spain] the entire British nation awaits its monarch's Christmas speech.

On this occasion, and for the first time, the person in charge has been the recently released King Charles III of England (74 years old), appointed after the death of his mother Elizabeth II on September 18.

This 2022 has been a tough year for the English, who in a few months have seen a regent die after decades on the throne (70 years);

rise to a new monarch and even get used to a new anthem and a new issue of currency.

This speech is one more step towards that new normality to which the British have to get used to.

More information

Queen Elizabeth II remembers the Duke of Edinburgh in her emotional Christmas speech

As expected, and just beginning, an emotional Carlos III, dressed in a blue suit, has honored the memory of his mother who died at the age of 96 in Balmoral Castle: "I am sitting in this exquisite chapel of Saint George, in Windsor Castle, near where my beloved mother, the late Queen, rests with my dear father.

At this moment, I am reminded of the deeply moving letters, cards and messages so many of you have sent to my wife and me and I cannot thank you enough for the love and sympathy you have shown our entire family."

“Christmas is an especially moving time for all of us who have lost loved ones.

We feel his absence and we remember them in every precious tradition ”, the king continued in the speech that lasted just five minutes.

“In the Christmas carol

we sing about how in the dark streets the eternal light shines,” he added.

As she explained, her mother, Elizabeth II, believed that the power of that light was an essential part of her faith in God, but also of her faith in people: “And it is something that I totally share in my heart.

I believe in the extraordinary capacity of each person to touch, with kindness and compassion, the lives of others, and to shine with their own light in the world around them.

This is the essence of our community and the very foundation of our society.”

Carlos III also thanked the dedication, work and effort of the armed forces and emergency services when Isabel II died: "They kept us safe".

In addition, he has had words of encouragement for health professionals;

teachers and for all those who work in a public service: "Their skills and commitment are the heart of many communities."

The monarch has not wanted to forget those who are currently facing wars;

to famine or natural disasters or people who are unable to pay their bills to keep their homes fed and warm —inflation in the UK is currently around 11%—: “Our churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and gurdwaras—a Sikh religious cult—have come together once again to feed the hungry, providing love and support throughout the year.

Such sincere solidarity is the most inspiring expression of loving our neighbor”.

"The Prince and Princess of Wales recently visited Wales, shedding light on some practical examples of this community spirit," the monarch stressed, referring to his son William and his daughter-in-law, Catherine.

"While Christmas is, of course, a Christian celebration, the power of light that overcomes darkness is celebrated across the boundaries of faith and belief," he added.

“True humility lies in our service to others, which is where I believe we can find hope for the future.

Therefore, let's celebrate it together and take care of it always ”, he stressed.

And he ended with a: “Whatever your faith, or if you have no faith, it is in this light that gives life and with the true humility that resides in service to others, where I believe we can find hope for the future.

With all my heart, I wish each of you a Christmas of peace, happiness and eternal light.

The speech was recorded on December 13 and was made for the first time in St. George's Chapel in Windsor, the location where the remains of Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, parents of the monarch, rest: "It is a place that has royal connections unique”.

With these words, the British royal family justified the change of location of the recording of the speech on their Twitter profile.

"Royal weddings and funerals have been held here, the most recent being Queen Elizabeth II's Farewell Service in September," added the post on this social network.

A striking change because for decades the speech has been recorded in Sandringham (Norfolk), the country house where the family usually spends these important dates, and sometimes in Buckingham.

In the 2021 Christmas address, Elizabeth II partly honored her husband Philip of Edinburgh who died in April of that same year.

It was the last speech of the monarch.

It should be remembered that the queen was the first British regent who not only gave voice to this annual reflection, as her father George VI did on the radio, but also gave her an image.

She did it in 1957. Now the baton has passed to Charles III of England who will be crowned next May.

⛪️ This year's broadcast was filmed in St George's Chapel in Windsor – a place which has unique Royal associations.

Royal weddings and funerals have taken place here, most recently The Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II in September.

pic.twitter.com/QXbaniO7Sx

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 24, 2022

During the speech, Carlos III omitted to mention his youngest son, Enrique de Inglaterra, and his wife, Meghan Markle, both protagonists of the documentary about his life on Netflix and which has caused liters of ink to flow in the British press.

The six chapters broadcast by the platform have reopened wounds and have caused a real tsunami for their statements about royalty.

A different Christmas for the Windsors

Hours before the speech, the royal family has gathered to go to the traditional religious service that is celebrated every Christmas day in the church of Sandringham.

Although this year is being different from the previous ones, due to the death of the queen and the absence of Meghan and Enrique at the festivities, the Windsors have wanted to show unity in the face of the media hurricane in which they have been involved

And it is that, despite everything, the family is going to celebrate these holidays following the tradition.

Another noticeable change this Christmas is that Charles III of England has invited the children of Camila, queen consort, Thomas Parker Bowles, 47, and Laura Lopes, 44, to spend the holidays with them.

Elizabeth II always denied her son this possibility and she never invited them.

In addition, their partners and children have also attended.

According to

Tom, a writer and food critic, has been married to the fashion editor Sara Buys since 2005 and has two children, Lola and Frederick, aged 15 and 12;

For her part, Laura, an artistic curator, is married to the accountant Harry Lopes and they have three children, Eliza, 14, and the twins Gus and Louis, who will turn 13 on December 30.