The address was recorded in Westminster Abbey, marking the second consecutive year the King has delivered his message away from a royal residence. Speaking from the medieval Lady Chapel, he reflected on the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day and praised the courage and sacrifice of the wartime generation.
The King also highlighted acts of “spontaneous bravery” in recent emergencies, including the Bondi Beach attack in Australia, and spoke of the importance of faith leaders working together, referencing his prayer alongside Pope Leo during a Vatican visit. A Ukrainian choir performed a carol during the broadcast, underscoring the King’s continued support for Ukraine.
Quoting T. S. Eliot, the King called for calm and reflection as “our world seems to spin ever faster,” with aides suggesting the message alluded to the impact of new technologies and the idea of a digital detox.
The broadcast avoided personal matters, including the King’s health and his brother Andrew. Instead, it focused on the working royals, with footage of Prince William and Catherine, and images of Prince George visiting a homelessness charity for the first time.
The message concluded with a reflection on the Christmas story as one of peace, reconciliation, and compassion, which the King described as “a prayer for our times.”
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Episode Transcript
Calarogu shark media, Hello and welcome to palace intrigue and
now a message from His Majesty King Charles the Third.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
A few weeks ago, the Queen and I were delighted
to make a state visit to the Vatican, where we
prayed with Pope Leo in a historic moment of spiritual unity.
Together we celebrated the Jubilee theme Pilgrims of hope. Pilgrimage
is a word less used today, but it is particular
(00:41):
significance for our modern world, and especially at Christmas. It
is about journeying forward into the future, while also journeying
back to remember the past and learn from its lessons.
We did this during the summer as we celebrated the
(01:01):
eightieth anniversaries of VE and v J Day. 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,
(01:25):
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.
For instance, it is impossible not to be deeply moved
(01:47):
by the ages of the fallen, as the gravestones in
our war cemeteries remind us the young people who fought
and helped save us from defeat in both world wars
were often only eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years of age.
Journeying is a constant theme of the Christmas story. The
(02:11):
Holy Family made a journey to Bethlehem and arrived homeless
without proper shelter. 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 Savior of the world. In each case they journeyed
(02:35):
with others and relied on the companionship and kindness of others.
Through physical and mental challenge, they found an inner strength
to this day in times of uncertainty. These ways of
living are treasured by all the great faiths and provide
(02:58):
us with deep wells, hope of resilience in the face
of adversity, peace through forgiveness, simply getting to know our
neighbors and by showing respect to one another, creating new friendships. Indeed,
(03:19):
as our world seems to spin ever faster, our journey
may pause to quarten our minds in T. S. Eliot's words,
at the still point of the turning world, and allow
ourselves to renew. In this, with the great diversity of
(03:40):
our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that
right triumphs over wrong. It seems to me that we
need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation the
way our Lord lived and died. This year, I've heard
(04:01):
so many examples of this, both here and abroad. These
stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope.
From our venerable military veterans to selfless humanitarian workers in
this century's most dangerous conflict zones, to the ways in
(04:24):
which individuals and communities display spontaneous bravery, instinctively placing themselves
in harm's way to defend others. As I meet people
of different faiths, I find it enormously encouraging to hear
(04:44):
how much we have in common, are shared longing for
peace and a deep respect for all life. If we
can find time in our journey through life to think
on these virtues, we can all make the future more hopeful.
(05:04):
Of course, the greatest pilgrimage of all is the journey
we celebrate today, the story of the one who came
down to earth from heaven, whose shelter was a stable,
and who shared his life with the poor and lowly.
It was a pilgrimage with a purpose heralded by angels,
(05:29):
that there should be peace on earth. That prayer for
peace and reconciliation for doing to others as we would
have them do to us, which rang out over the
fields near Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago, still
reverberates from there and around the world today. It is
(05:54):
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 the most peaceful
and very happy Christmas.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
A message from King Charles the Third, and Merry Christmas
from everyone here at Palace Intrigue
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