King Charles’ Christmas broadcast will be staged outside a royal residence

King Charles will make his Christmas broadcast from Westminster Abbey this year, focusing on the theme of pilgrimage.

This marks his fourth festive message and the second staged outside the royal residence.

The historic landmark in central London is a pilgrimage site that houses the tomb of Edward the Confessor. Edward, who reigned for 24 years before his death in 1066, was declared a saint in 1161, with his tomb attracting the attention of pilgrims for centuries.

The broadcast was filmed in the Abbey’s Lady Chapel, a late medieval structure built for Henry VII that is the burial place of 15 kings and queens.

Beneath the chapel’s magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling and the colorful banners of the knights of the Order of the Baths, repurposed Christmas trees from the Princess of Wales’s carol concert at the beginning of December form the backdrop.

Not visible are the colorful banners of the knights of the order of chivalry, which hang above the king’s head, below the magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling of the chapel.

It is understood the king wanted a filming location away from the royal environment and the suggestion was made by the BBC, which produced the broadcast this year, and the royal family.

It’s a follow-up to the message recorded last year at Fitzrovia Chapel, a former sanctuary in central London noted for being the site where Diana, Princess of Wales, opened the capital’s first AIDS ward.

Since the launch on Christmas Day 2024 there has been an increase in visitor numbers for exhibitions and open days.

The king’s message is one of the rare occasions when the monarch can express his personal views without government advice.

The King’s message is one of the rare occasions when he does not turn to the Government for advice and is able to voice his own views.

Written by the monarch, the book often has a strong religious framework, reflects current issues and often draws on personal experiences.

The broadcast will air on both television and radio on Christmas Day at 3pm.