King Charles praises bravery in the face of Bondi beach and Manchester synagogue attacks in Christmas message
The King used his Christmas message to appeal to the nation that the Second World War should “never fade away” in a world with divisive values such as “courage and sacrifice” and community spirit.
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 king touched on the impact of new technologies on well-being and community cohesion as the world spins “faster and faster”, suggesting that the festive period could be a moment to recharge and strengthen those communities.
The annual Christmas publication is written by the King and is a rare occasion when he does not turn to the 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 on air: “The end of the Second World War is 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 great challenges, carries a timeless message for us all.”
These are the values that shape our country and the Commonwealth. “These are values we should never lose sight of when we hear news of separations both at home and abroad.”
The past 12 months have seen divisions widen on many issues, from protests over refugee housing to polarization in the political landscape, headline-grabbing so-called culture wars and the ongoing cost of living crisis, which is widening the gap between rich and poor and fueling generational discontent.
Charles’ late parents were Queen Elizabeth II. Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh were of the wartime generation, and footage was shown of an event marking the VE Day anniversary; The Prince of Wales and Prince George were meeting World War II veterans at a tea party at Buckingham Palace, and another video showed the King attending a VJ Day ceremony.
Commenting on examples at home and abroad of right overcoming wrong, the King said: “These stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope, from our revered military veterans to the selfless humanitarian workers in this century’s most dangerous conflict zones, to the spontaneous displays of courage by individuals and communities, the ways they instinctively put themselves at risk to defend others.”
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-Ahmad, the widely acclaimed hero of the massacre, was shot while wrestling with the firearm of one of the gunmen.
Addressing the effects of busy modern lives and new technologies on communities and individuals, especially young people, Kral said: “In fact, while our world seems to spin faster and faster, our journeys may pause to quiet our minds and allow our souls to renew, in the words of TS Eliot, ‘At the still point of the turning world’.
“In this, thanks to the great diversity of our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that right prevails over wrong.” An aide to the King said: “I think His Majesty hopes that Christmas, if nothing else, can offer a moment when people can try something like a ‘digital detox’ to focus more on our friendships, our families and, for those who practice it, our faith.”
The King hopes that in this way our minds will find greater peace, our spirits will be renewed, and our communities will be strengthened.
The address, recorded in the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey on 11 December, made no reference to Charles’ recent “good news” announcement about reducing cancer treatment and reflected his desire for his message to reflect society’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, highlighting 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 baby Jesus.
Charles’s last state visit to the Vatican marked the year of the Papal Jubilee with the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope”, and Westminster Abbey is a pilgrim church as it contains the tomb of the canonized Edward the Confessor, whose tomb has attracted pilgrims for centuries. George appeared again in the footage, where he made a special visit to his father William’s homeless charity The Passage; here they wore aprons and helped prepare meals.
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 pilgrimage” – 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.
