King’s Christmas speech to come from Westminster Abbey

Sean Coughlanroyal correspondent

PA Media King III. Charles gives a speech in front of the Christmas tree at Westminster Abbey — The King will give the traditional message from the Monastery’s Lady Chapel

This year King III. Charles’ Christmas message will be delivered from Westminster Abbey.

The traditional speech, filmed in the Lady Chapel of the medieval church in central London, follows his “good news” earlier this month of a good response to cancer treatment.

The King is expected to talk about life’s “pilgrimage” and the lessons he can offer on the issues of the day in the message, which will be broadcast at 15:00 on Christmas Day.

Last year the speech was given at Fitzrovia Chapel, which once served hospital staff and is the symbolic venue for a message focused on the King’s thanks to healthcare workers.

King was able to reuse Christmas trees from Catherine’s carol concert

PA Media King Charles in front of Christmas trees used for the Princess of Wales' carol concert at Westminster Abbey — King was able to reuse Christmas trees from Catherine’s carol concert

This year’s setting is under the famous medieval vaulted ceiling of the Lady Chapel, a chapel where 15 previous kings and queens are buried, including Elizabeth I, Mary I and Charles II.

This also means that for the second year the Christmas message will not be delivered from behind the desk in the palace.

The King will be seen standing in front of Christmas trees brought in to decorate the Abbey for the Princess of Wales’s carol concert earlier this month.

Westminster Abbey was also the venue for the King’s recent concert. advent serviceWhere prayers and music from different Christian traditions are played, including Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox.

Icons were displayed in the Abbey for this ceremony, and when the King visited Pope Leo earlier this year he gave him an icon of St Edward the Confessor, a saint with strong ties to Westminster Abbey.

The Advent ceremony and trip to the Vatican reflected one of the King’s long-standing aims: efforts to build bridges between people of different faiths and backgrounds.

The monarch’s tradition of making an annual Christmas broadcast, looking back on the year and addressing current events, dates back to 1932, when George V made a speech on the radio.

The first televised Christmas speech was given during World War II in 1957. Made by Elizabeth. It is often among the most watched programs on Christmas Day.