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
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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.
How Harry and Meghan will spend Christmas this year
Despite murmurings of a possible reconciliation at Sandringham, it appears that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be joining the royal family for their annual Christmas celebrations in Norfolk after all.
The late Queen Elizabeth II hosted every Christmas at the royal estate since 1998, with her son King Charles III expected to continue the same tradition in his first official year as monarch since the coronation in May.
Last month, it was reported the couple would not turn down an invite to spend Christmas at Sandringham if they were asked, amid rumours that a reunion between Harry and Charles could be on the horizon.
Read the full piece below.
How Harry and Meghan will spend Christmas this year
It is unlikely the Sussexes will fly back to the UK to spend Christmas at Sandringham this year, delaying any chance of a royal reconciliation
King Charles’ address dubbed ‘Green Speech’ will feature living tree which will be replanted
The King’s speech is set to take place at 3pm today and will feature a living Christmas tree, which will mark the first time he has used one as part of his backdrop.
He recently delivered a speech at the Cop28 UN Climate Change Conference in which he stressed the urgency of tackling the climate crisis.
“In your hands is an unmissable opportunity to keep our common hope alive,” he added. “I can only urge you to meet it with ambition, imagination, and a true sense of the emergency we face.”
To drive home this message, his living Christmas tree 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.
In pictures: Well-wishers wait to greet royal family
Princess Kate holds annual star-studded carol service
Kate Middleton held her annual carol service at Westminster Abbey which was broadcast to the public on Christmas Eve.
As part of the royal’s Shaping Us campaign it showcased ‘the hope of new life and why it is so important to build supportive, nurturing worlds around children and the adults in their lives’.
In a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, she said:
“From parents and carers, early educators, midwives, health visitors and community volunteers - thank you for all you do in helping the very youngest mnembers of our communities feel safe, valued and loved.
“This is not not just making a difference to children today, it will go on to shape a happier, healthier, fairer world in the future.”
The service was recorded on 8 December and was made public on Sunday.
New photograph of royal children from Christmas card shoot
A new photo of the royal children has been released.
The black and white picture taken by Josh Shinner is in the same style of Prince William and Princess Kate’s Christmas card and features their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The couple posted it on X with the caption: “Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, from our family to yours! W & C”
What traditions does the royal family have for Christmas?
This Christmas marks the second year the royals will be ringing in the jolly holiday without the late Queen Elizabeth II. Since her passing in September 2022, King Charles III has taken over many beloved traditions once spearheaded by the Queen.
The royal family typically leaves Buckingham Palace just before Christmas and heads to Sandringham House, the late Queen’s country estate in Norfolk.
There, they attend a Christmas Day church service a short distance from Sandringham House, at St Mary Magdalene Church. It’s believed that the Queen normally remained at Sandringham after Christmas, until the anniversary of the passing of her father - King George VI - on 6 February.
The former monarch died when he was 56 years old at the royal estate when the Queen was just 25 years old, though she was on a royal tour in Kenya at the time.
King and Queen to celebrate Christmas Day with family at Sandringham
The King and Queen are to celebrate Christmas Day alongside other members of the royal family at Sandringham.
The private Norfolk estate will once again host the traditional royal festivities.
Charles and Camilla are expected to be 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.
The King and Queen, along with the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, 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 Charles to use Christmas Day address to deliver powerful environmental message
Maryam Zakir-Hussain and Tara Cobham report:
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
Royals arrive at St Mary Magdalene Church for Christmas Mass
The Royal Family have arrived at St Mary Magdalene Church for Christmas Mass.
The family are expected to gather at Sandringham later to celebrate Christmas day.
This year’s gathering at Sandringham is the first time the royal family have spent Christmas at the private royal residence in Norfolk since 2019.
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