Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Oct 19, 2025

King Charles invokes late Queen and faith in humanity in Christmas message

King Charles invokes late Queen and faith in humanity in Christmas message

Britain's King Charles invoked his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, in his first Christmas message to the nation as monarch and spoke of his faith in humanity at a time of "great anxiety and hardship".
Britain's King Charles invoked his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, in his first Christmas message to the nation as monarch and spoke of his faith in humanity at a time of "great anxiety and hardship".

Charles said he shares with his "whole heart" his mother's faith in God and people. He was speaking from St George's Chapel, the final resting place of the late Queen and from where Elizabeth delivered a Christmas message in 1999.

"It is a belief in the extraordinary ability of each person to touch, with goodness and compassion, the lives of others and to shine a light in the world around them," Charles said.

"And at this time of great anxiety and hardship — be it for those around the world facing conflict, famine or natural disaster, or for those at home finding ways to pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm — we see it in the humanity of people."

The King's speech capped another chaotic year for Britain after years dominated by coronavirus and Brexit.

In 2022 the nation had three prime ministers within two months and now faces an economic recession and cost-of-living crisis that has forced many to turn to food banks and charities for support.

Charles III, who acceded to the throne when his mother's death ended her record 70-year reign in September, paid tribute to such charities in his broadcast, which included footage of staff at food banks, as well as hospital staff and rescue and care workers.

The 74-year-old monarch, who also holds the title of "Defender of the Faith" in his role as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, spoke of how "our churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and gurdwaras" had united to feed the hungry.

The king, who often courted controversy as a prince for voicing strong views on a variety of issues including the environment, has previously said that, as monarch, he would scale back such public campaigning.

His message on Sunday, delivered standing with a Christmas tree in the background, is the latest in a tradition of royal seasonal messages dating back to 1932, when George V gave a speech over radio.

'COMMUNITY SPIRIT'

Charles noted in his speech how his son, William, the heir to the throne, and William's wife, Kate, had visited Wales recently, "shining a light" on examples of community spirit.

But he made no mention of William's brother, Harry, or his wife, Meghan, who took part in a documentary this month in which the couple portrayed the royal family as a tone-deaf institution unconcerned about their mental well-being. Harry and Meghan also recounted how they had stepped back from their royal roles in 2020 after a slew of negative press coverage.

Charles, William and other royals on Sunday visited a church in Sandringam in eastern England, where the family traditionally spends the festive period.

Also present was the King's disgraced brother, Prince Andrew, who was stripped of most of his royal titles over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and a related sexual assault allegation and resulting lawsuit.

He settled the lawsuit in February without admitting any liability. The settlement included an undisclosed payment.

British newspapers reported this week that Andrew, who has not been charged with any criminal offence and has denied any wrongdoing, was removed from Buckingham Palace and will no longer be permitted to have an office there.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
Australia Faces Demographic Risk as Fertility Falls to Record Low
California County Reinstates Mask Mandate in Health Facilities as Respiratory Illness Risk Rises
Israel and Hamas Agree to First Phase of Trump-Brokered Gaza Truce, Hostages to Be Freed
French Political Turmoil Elevates Marine Le Pen as Rassemblement National Poised for Power
China Unveils Sweeping Rare Earth Export Controls to Shield ‘National Security’
The Davos Set in Decline: Why the World Economic Forum’s Power Must Be Challenged
France: Less Than a Month After His Appointment, the New French Prime Minister Resigns
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Sarah Mullally Becomes First Woman Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
×