London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

King Charles invokes late Queen and faith in humanity in Christmas message

King Charles invokes late Queen and faith in humanity in Christmas message

Britain's King Charles invoked his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, in his first Christmas message to the nation as monarch and spoke of his faith in humanity at a time of "great anxiety and hardship".
Britain's King Charles invoked his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, in his first Christmas message to the nation as monarch and spoke of his faith in humanity at a time of "great anxiety and hardship".

Charles said he shares with his "whole heart" his mother's faith in God and people. He was speaking from St George's Chapel, the final resting place of the late Queen and from where Elizabeth delivered a Christmas message in 1999.

"It is a belief in the extraordinary ability of each person to touch, with goodness and compassion, the lives of others and to shine a light in the world around them," Charles said.

"And at this time of great anxiety and hardship — be it for those around the world facing conflict, famine or natural disaster, or for those at home finding ways to pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm — we see it in the humanity of people."

The King's speech capped another chaotic year for Britain after years dominated by coronavirus and Brexit.

In 2022 the nation had three prime ministers within two months and now faces an economic recession and cost-of-living crisis that has forced many to turn to food banks and charities for support.

Charles III, who acceded to the throne when his mother's death ended her record 70-year reign in September, paid tribute to such charities in his broadcast, which included footage of staff at food banks, as well as hospital staff and rescue and care workers.

The 74-year-old monarch, who also holds the title of "Defender of the Faith" in his role as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, spoke of how "our churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and gurdwaras" had united to feed the hungry.

The king, who often courted controversy as a prince for voicing strong views on a variety of issues including the environment, has previously said that, as monarch, he would scale back such public campaigning.

His message on Sunday, delivered standing with a Christmas tree in the background, is the latest in a tradition of royal seasonal messages dating back to 1932, when George V gave a speech over radio.

'COMMUNITY SPIRIT'

Charles noted in his speech how his son, William, the heir to the throne, and William's wife, Kate, had visited Wales recently, "shining a light" on examples of community spirit.

But he made no mention of William's brother, Harry, or his wife, Meghan, who took part in a documentary this month in which the couple portrayed the royal family as a tone-deaf institution unconcerned about their mental well-being. Harry and Meghan also recounted how they had stepped back from their royal roles in 2020 after a slew of negative press coverage.

Charles, William and other royals on Sunday visited a church in Sandringam in eastern England, where the family traditionally spends the festive period.

Also present was the King's disgraced brother, Prince Andrew, who was stripped of most of his royal titles over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and a related sexual assault allegation and resulting lawsuit.

He settled the lawsuit in February without admitting any liability. The settlement included an undisclosed payment.

British newspapers reported this week that Andrew, who has not been charged with any criminal offence and has denied any wrongdoing, was removed from Buckingham Palace and will no longer be permitted to have an office there.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×