Charles praises wartime values in Christmas message
King Charles used his Christmas message to encourage people to “never lose sight” of values such as “courage and sacrifice” and community spirit in the divisive world of the Second World War.
Following the Bondi Beach shootings and the Manchester synagogue attack, Charles also praised the “spontaneous courage” of those who “put themselves in harm’s way to defend others”.
The annual Christmas publication is written by the King and is a rare occasion when the King does not turn to the British government for advice.
He placed communities at the center of his message, commenting on the benefits of their “diversity” and how they showed courage in the face of adversity.
Charles has long seen his role as helping to bridge these communities, faith groups and others, and believes he is part of society rather than outside it.
The King and Queen attended major commemorations this year to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, with Charles saying in the broadcast: “The end of the Second World War is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us as the years go by.”
“But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way communities have come together in the face of such a great challenge, carries a timeless message for us all,” he said.
“These are the values that have shaped our country and the Commonwealth. When we hear of division both at home and abroad, these are the values we should never lose sight of.”
The broadcast shows Charles at Manchester’s Heaton Park Hebrew Community Synagogue, where he visited survivors of the October terror attack and was confronted by people blocking the doors as a knife-wielding attacker tried to gain entry.
Hundreds of flowers were given as gifts after two gunmen targeted a Jewish festival and killed 15 people in Sydney, Australia.
Syrian-born immigrant Ahmed Al Ahmed, the widely acclaimed hero of the massacre, was shot after wrestling with the firearm of one of the gunmen.
The King’s speech, recorded in the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey on 11 December, made no reference to Charles’s recent “good news” announcement regarding the reduction of cancer treatment; This reflected his desire for his message to reflect the community’s experiences over the past 12 months.
A committed Anglican Christian whose main theme was pilgrimage, the King’s address to the nation and the Commonwealth had a strong religious element, emphasizing the Biblical journeys of Mary and Joseph who arrived in Bethlehem as “homeless” and the three wise men and shepherds to pay homage to the infant Jesus.
The figures in the Christmas story relied on the “companionship and kindness of others” during their pilgrimage and found “inner strength” to cope with physical and mental challenges.
Charles added: “To this day, in times of uncertainty, these ways of life are valued by all the great faiths and provide us with profound sources of hope: endurance in the face of adversity; peace through forgiveness; building new friendships simply by knowing our neighbors and respecting each other.”
Members of the royal family were also featured during the broadcast, including Camilla in a red telephone booth with a group of children during a visit to the Dulwich Picture Gallery, and William and the Duchess of Edinburgh clinking paper cups at the Royal Cornwall Show.
In his closing remarks, the King said the Christmas message of “peace and reconciliation” as the angels announced the coming of Jesus – “the greatest of all pilgrimages” – was “a prayer for our time and our societies”.
Charles’ continued support for Ukraine since the early period of the Russian occupation was also reflected in his choir selection, Songs for Ukrainian Choir, which closed the broadcast by singing the hugely popular Carol Of The Bells, based on a song by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych.
