King Charles III
In his Christmas speech he calls for more togetherness
King Charles was in a good mood on Christmas Day in Sandringham.
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The late Queen was no longer an issue. King Charles III spoke for this. in his Christmas speech about the challenges of our time.
It was his second Christmas speech as king and his first after the coronation: The British King Charles III (75) again addressed his people on Christmas Day and in his ten-minute speech called for peace, environmental protection, the acceptance of different faiths and good coexistence. While last year he remembered his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), this time he left her unmentioned.
“Essential backbone of our society”
The speech was recorded at Buckingham Palace on December 7th and broadcast on December 25th at 3 p.m. local time. The king held them standing as in 2022 and praised the British who are committed to social engagement. This “selfless army” of volunteers is the “essential backbone of our society.” He recalled that there were numerous representatives of various organizations at his coronation on May 6, 2023. These underlined the importance of the ceremony. It is also “a call to all of us to serve one another.” He thanked everyone who “takes care of our shared home.”
The king also used his second Christmas speech to highlight his green message. He has been committed to the environment and climate protection for decades and once again emphasized the need to “take care of the earth for the benefit of our children’s children.” While standing next to a “living Christmas tree” that was later replanted and decorated with eco-friendly decorations, he said: “Caring for this creation is a responsibility of people of all faiths and even people of no faith.”
Acceptance and tolerance
Charles also mentioned conflicts abroad, particularly the ongoing war in Ukraine and the current fighting in Israel and Gaza. “At a time of increasingly tragic conflict around the world, I pray that we can also do everything in our power to protect one another.” He recalled the words of Jesus: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” On the palace’s Instagram page an excerpt of the speech was postedwhich discusses the similarities between different religions: “Such values are universal and connect our Abrahamic religious family and other belief systems across the Commonwealth and around the world. They remind us to put ourselves in the shoes of our neighbors and their well-being as well to search as our own.”
The speech was accompanied by video clips showing all high-ranking royals. With this, Charles once again made it clear who he considers to be the most important members of the family. His disgraced brother Andrew (63) was not among them. But he came to the traditional Christmas service in Sandringham with the Royal Family in the morning and surprised everyone with his company: his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson (64) was there for the first time in 30 years.