How King Charles' First Christmas Speech Differed from Queen Elizabeth's Traditional Address
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King Charles III set his own tone with his first Christmas speech as sovereign.
The King, 74, continued royal tradition by delivering an address on Christmas Day that was broadcast across the U.K. and around the world. Charles spoke about the loss of his mother Queen Elizabeth, who died in September, and a few subtleties were apparent regarding the setting, style and substance of his speech as compared to his mother's.
For starters, King Charles recorded his Christmas remarks in the Quire of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, where the Queen and his father Prince Philip are buried. Explaining the significance of the space at the start of his remarks, Charles said, "I am standing here in this exquisite Chapel of St. George at Windsor Castle, so close to where my beloved mother, The late Queen, is laid to rest with my dear father. I am reminded of the deeply touching letters, cards and messages which so many of you have sent my wife and myself and I cannot thank you enough for the love and sympathy you have shown our whole family."
In contrast, Queen Elizabeth typically filmed her speech at Buckingham Palace, seated at a desk and surrounded by framed photos of royal family members. Charles' decision to stand gave him an active stance during the speech, while the absence of personal pictures eliminated a potentially awkward conundrum of "who to feature and, more importantly, who to leave out," body language expert Judi James told the Daily Express.
Regarding the delivery of the five-minute message, James said that the King spoke with a "military air" reminiscent of Prince Philip and exuded more emotion than Queen Elizabeth characteristically did.
Victoria Jones - WPA Pool/Getty Queen Elizabeth's 2020 Christmas speech
"But despite the slightly military tone, Charles was also much more sharing with his inner, personal emotions than his mother tended to be," James told the Express. "His brows were furrowed for most of it and when he spoke of his 'beloved mother' we saw an asymmetric facial expression create a contrast between the two sides of his face."
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"The right side had a reflective and sad eye expression while the left looked steelier, with the mouth slightly hiked up at the side. This suggested ongoing sadness but with a steely determination to continue and move forward," she added.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles
Illuminating what was on his mind as monarch, King Charles praised the critical community work of "churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and gurdwaras." He also acknowledged the "great anxiety and hardship" that people face today, "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."
Like Queen Elizabeth classically did, King Charles closed his holiday remarks on a positive note.
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Samir Hussein/WireImage King Charles and royal family at Christmas 2022
"While Christmas is, of course, a Christian celebration, the power of light overcoming darkness is celebrated across the boundaries of faith and belief," he said. "So, whatever faith you have, or whether you have none, it is in this life-giving light, and with the true humility that lies in our service to others, that I believe we can find hope for the future. Let us therefore celebrate it together, and cherish it always."
King Charles' first Christmas speech is now streaming on the royal family's YouTube channel.
