KING Charles delivered his Christmas message hailing “triumph of courage over adversity” and celebrating community spirit and the “spontaneous bravery” of people “instinctively placing themselves in harm’s way to defend others”.
Millions watched and listened to the King’s fourth annual message filmed in The Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey as Charles spoke of the importance of ‘”pilgrimage”.
Choosing to stand up rather than sitting down, he used his 10-minute annual address to urge the nation to “never lose sight” in a divisive world of the Second World War values of “courage and sacrifice” and community spirit coming after Royals attended 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day.
And he displayed his continued support to Ukraine against Putin’s invasion choosing ‘Songs for Ukraine Chorus’ to perform the carols during his broadcast.
Coming amid the shock Epstein Files released this week that has rocked the Royal Family and the days after the King revealed his ‘good news’ that his cancer treatment was being reduced, there was no mention of his family or health.
But the King in his speech led calls for “reconciliation” echoing wayward son Prince Harry’s plea for reunion earlier this year, and urged viewers to get to know neighbours and create a harmonious society.
Footage during the broadcast showed the King in Manchester following the terror attacks on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue and mourners laying tributes on Bondi Beach, Sydney.
Charles, 77, also praised the “spontaneous bravery” of those who put themselves in “harm’s way to defend others”.
The King used his address to reference the impact new technologies can have on wellbeing and community cohesion as the world spins “ever faster”, suggesting the festive period might be a moment to recharge and for those communities to grow stronger.
A spokesman for the King said is hoping festive spirit can being a ‘digital detox’ to focus more on our friendships, our families and our faith for those who practice
Drawing on the Bible and his recent State Visit to the Vatican City the theme of the 10-minute message centred on the power and importance of ‘pilgrimage’ and kindness, compassion and hope.
The King said: “A few weeks ago, The Queen and I were delighted to make a State Visit to the Vatican where we prayed with Pope Leo in a historic moment of spiritual unity. Together, we celebrated the Jubilee theme, “Pilgrims of Hope”.
“Pilgrimage is a word less used today, but it has particular significance for our modern world, and especially at Christmas. It is about journeying forward, into the future, while also journeying back to remember the past and learn from its lessons.
“We did this during the Summer, as we celebrated the 80th Anniversaries of VE and VJ Day. The end of the Second World War is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us, as the years pass.
“But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way communities came together in the face of such great challenge, carry a timeless message for us all.
“These are the values which have shaped our country and the Commonwealth. As we hear of division, both at home and abroad, they are the values of which we must never lose sight.
“For instance, it is impossible not to be deeply moved by the ages of the fallen – as the gravestones in our War Cemeteries remind us.
“The young people who fought and helped save us from defeat in both World Wars were often only 18, 19, or 20 years of age.
“Journeying is a constant theme of the Christmas Story. The Holy Family made a journey to Bethlehem and arrived homeless without proper shelter.
“The Wise Men made a pilgrimage from the East to worship at the cradle of Christ; and the Shepherds journeyed from field to town in search of Jesus, the Saviour of the World.
“In each case, they journeyed with others; and relied on the companionship and kindness of others. Through physical and mental challenge, they found an inner strength.
“To this day, in times of uncertainty, these ways of living are treasured by all the great Faiths and provide us with deep wells of hope: of resilience in the face of adversity; peace through forgiveness; simply getting to know our neighbours and, by showing respect to one another, creating new friendships.
“Indeed, as our world seems to spin ever faster, our journeying may pause, to quieten our minds – in T.S. Eliot’s words “At the still point of the turning world” – and allow our souls to renew.
“In this, with the great diversity of our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that right triumphs over wrong.
“It seems to me that we need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation; the way Our Lord lived and died. This year, I have heard so many examples of this, both here and abroad.
“These stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope, from our venerable military veterans to selfless humanitarian workers in this century’s most dangerous conflict zones; to the ways in which individuals and communities display spontaneous bravery, instinctively placing themselves in harm’s way to defend others.
“As I meet people of different faiths, I find it enormously encouraging to hear how much we have in common; a shared longing for peace and a deep respect for all life.
“If we can find time in our journey through life to think on these virtues we can all make the future more hopeful. Of course, the greatest pilgrimage of all is the journey we celebrate today – the story of the One who ‘came down to Earth from Heaven’, ‘whose shelter was a stable’ and who shared his life with ‘the poor and lowly’.
“It was a pilgrimage with a purpose, heralded by Angels, that there should be peace on Earth. That prayer for peace and reconciliation – for “doing to others as we would have them do to us” – which rang out over the fields near Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago, still reverberates from there and around the world today.
“It is a prayer for our times, and our communities too, as we journey through our lives.
Sweet moment Charlotte gazes up at mum Kate as they play piano side-by-side to kick off Christmas Eve carol concert
By Matt Wilkinson & Sam Creed
PRINCESS Charlotte looked up to her mother Kate in a heartwarming moment as they played piano side-by-side.
The royal duo delivered a festive surprise as they performed together to open the Together at Christmas carol concert.
Royal fans had their suspicions confirmed as Charlotte, 10, sat next to proud mum Kate for a special pre-recorded performance.
In a heartwarming moment, the young royal looked up towards her mother, who beamed with pride, during the piece.
Viewers of Kate’s annual festive extravaganza were left stunned by the mother and daughter bonding session.
It brought family joy to the opening of the concert, which also starred Kate Winslet and a reading by Prince William.
Footage showed Kate and Charlotte together playing ‘Holm Sound’ by Scottish composer Erland Cooper for his mother Charlotte.
Fans gushed over the touching clip, in which Kate and Charlotte also giggled together as their duet came to an end.
The Princess of Wales and her daughter enjoy playing this piece of music at home, it is understood.
Cooper’s work is inspired by ‘nature and connection’, themes the Princess of Wales has described as important to her recovery from cancer.
The opening segment came with Kate narrating her letter to guests.
Addressing viewers, she says “at its heart, Christmas speaks of love taking form in the simplest, most human ways.”
It was filmed in the Inner Hall at Windsor Castle last week and composer Erland was present and able to give guidance between takes.
It is understood Kate wanted to do this to showcase connection and the values she spoke about in the letter given to guests at the Abbey and Community Carol Services.
Kate, 43, is an accomplished piano player and gained her Grade Three piano and Grade Five theory as a youngster.
She previously surprised royal fans as she performed during the opening number at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023.
And she showcased her musical talents, playing piano alongside singer Tom Walker, in 2021 at inaugural carol concert.
Two years ago, Kate revealed her daughter had been learning to play the piano.
Chinese pianist Lang Lang chatted with Kate at the Royal Variety Performance in November 2023.
He said afterwards: “We talked about Charlotte. Her Royal Highness talked about Charlotte’s piano playing, I’m sure she’s good.
“Her Royal Highness said to me that she said to Princess Charlotte ‘Hey, look, if you practise a lot you can be like him’.
“So I’m happy to be helpful a little bit. It’s really funny, I was like, wow, I’m sure she will do well at the piano. I think she is practising.”
“So, with these words and my whole heart, I wish you all a most peaceful and very happy Christmas.”
The annual broadcast is expected to top the viewing figures for Christmas Day.
A spokesman for the King added: “I think His Majesty hopes that, if nothing else, Christmas might afford a moment when people could experiment with something of a ‘digital detox’ to focus more on our friendships, our families and our faith for those who practice. In this way The King hopes our minds may find greater peace, our souls can renew, and our communities grow stronger.’
In a touching nod to his long support to Ukraine in its defence against Russian invasion, the choir chosen to perform at the carol was the ‘Songs for Ukraine Chorus’.
Founded in 2023 in response to Putin’s invasion they include singers from across the Ukrainian community living in the UK.
Their carol called ‘Carol of the Bells’ is based on a song by Mykola Leontovych, a Ukrainian composer.
Soloists Arina Koroletska and Olha Terletska are both from Odesa, in Ukraine.
And Songs for Ukraine were joined by the Royal Opera Chorus, of which the King is patron.
Accompanying his address to the nation, realms and Commonwealth, included the Royals taking part in the VJ Day and VE Day commemorations including a Buckingham Palace tea party with D-Day heroes.
Prince George’s recent trip with his father Prince William to The Passage homeless shelter to hand out Christmas dinners to rough sleepers also featured.
As did the King and Queen meeting Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City.
In another show of support to Ukraine, Princess Anne’s visit to a rehabilitation centre in Kiev, also featured in the video montage.
During a year of anti-Semitic attacks, footage also showed Charles in Manchester after the attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue and mourners laying tributes on Bondi Beach, Sydney.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s often unheralded work was recognised as Sophie was seen visiting survivors of trafficking in Nepal.
And both Edward and Sophie featured as they took part in a tree-planting ceremony in Tokyo.
In a festive touch, Queen Camilla is seen with children decorating the Christmas tree at Clarence House and Princess of Wales with guests at Together at Christmas carol concert.
During a sporting year, Charles is filmed meeting India’s cricket team and William and Charlotte cheering the Lionesses to victory at the Euro 2025 final.
It is the second time the King has filmed his address outside a royal residence, after giving his speech in 2024 from Fitzrovia Chapel.
It is understood the King is given options where to film and he made the final selection.
The King’s full Christmas Day address
“A few weeks ago, the Queen and I were delighted to make a state visit to the Vatican where we prayed with Pope Leo in a historic moment of spiritual unity. Together, we celebrated the Jubilee theme, ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
“Pilgrimage is a word less used today, but it has particular significance for our modern world, and especially at Christmas. It is about journeying forward, into the future, while also journeying back to remember the past and learn from its lessons.
“We did this during the summer, as we celebrated the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day.
“The end of the Second World War is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us, as the years pass. But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way communities came together in the face of such great challenge, carry a timeless message for us all.
“These are the values which have shaped our country and the Commonwealth. As we hear of division, both at home and abroad, they are the values of which we must never lose sight.
“For instance, it is impossible not to be deeply moved by the ages of the fallen – as the gravestones in our war cemeteries remind us. The young people who fought and helped save us from defeat in both world wars were often only 18, 19 or 20 years of age.
“Journeying is a constant theme of the Christmas story. The holy family made a journey to Bethlehem and arrived homeless without proper shelter.
“The wise men made a pilgrimage from the east to worship at the cradle of Christ; and the shepherds journeyed from field to town in search of Jesus, the saviour of the world. In each case, they journeyed with others, and relied on the companionship and kindness of others. Through physical and mental challenge, they found an inner strength.
“To this day, in times of uncertainty, these ways of living are treasured by all the great faiths and provide us with deep wells of hope: of resilience in the face of adversity; peace through forgiveness; simply getting to know our neighbours and, by showing respect to one another, creating new friendships.
“Indeed, as our world seems to spin ever faster, our journeying may pause, to quieten our minds – in TS Eliot’s words ‘At the still point of the turning world’ – and allow our souls to renew.
“In this, with the great diversity of our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that right triumphs over wrong.
“It seems to me that we need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation; the way our Lord lived and died.
“This year, I have heard so many examples of this, both here and abroad. These stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope, from our venerable military veterans to selfless humanitarian workers in this century’s most dangerous conflict zones; to the ways in which individuals and communities display spontaneous bravery, instinctively placing themselves in harm’s way to defend others.
“As I meet people of different faiths, I find it enormously encouraging to hear how much we have in common; a shared longing for peace and a deep respect for all life. If we can find time in our journey through life to think on these virtues we can all make the future more hopeful.
“Of course, the greatest pilgrimage of all is the journey we celebrate today – the story of The One who ‘came down to Earth from Heaven’, ‘whose shelter was a stable’ and who shared his life with ‘the poor and lowly’.
“It was a pilgrimage with a purpose, heralded by angels, that there should be peace on Earth. That prayer for peace and reconciliation – for ‘doing to others as we would have them do to us’ – which rang out over the fields near Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago, still reverberates from there and around the world today.
“It is a prayer for our times, and our communities too, as we journey through our lives.
“So, with these words and my whole heart, I wish you all a most peaceful and very happy Christmas.”
