How King Charles Remembered Queen Elizabeth in His First Christmas Speech
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Hannah McKay/getty Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth in June 2022
Queen Elizabeth II was clearly on King Charles III's mind during a holiday tradition that is so heavily associated with the late monarch.
On Christmas Day, the King's first Christmas speech was broadcast across the nation. For many, it will be the first time that Queen Elizabeth isn't the one making the address.
From the start, King Charles he remembered his mother, who died in September at age 96. He filmed the prerecorded address at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, where Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are buried. It's also where the committal service was held for the Queen in September.
"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," the King, 74, began his speech. "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."
He continued, "Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition."
King Charles continued his speech, "In the much-loved carol 'O Little Town of Bethlehem,' we sing of how 'in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light.' My mother's belief in the power of that light was an essential part of her faith in God, but also her faith in people — and it is one which I share with my whole heart. 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. This is the essence of our community and the very foundation of our society."
King Charles "has huge empathy" for others experiencing loss, a former palace staffer told PEOPLE ahead of the holiday. "We are so used to seeing the iconic footage of the Queen leading her family to church on Christmas morning," says the staffer. "This year there will be a great deal of reflection and sorrow."
Victoria Jones - Pool/Getty King Charles
The first Christmas speech was delivered by King George V in 1932, with Queen Elizabeth appearing in the first televised broadcast in 1957 and every year since. "She was a one-take wonder — she was extraordinary," said the former palace staffer.
RELATED: Inside the Royal Family's First Christmas Without Queen Elizabeth: 'It Will Be Hard'
At Kate Middleton's second annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey held on Dec. 15, there were multiple tributes to Queen Elizabeth.
"This carol service is dedicated to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and to all those who are sadly no longer with us. Her Late Majesty's strongly held values of duty, compassion and faith have guided the creation of this service," read a message inside the program for Royal Carols: Together at Christmas.
Victoria Jones/getty Queen Elizabeth's 2021 Christmas speech
As the service began, a film played highlighting how the late Queen was at the heart of Christmas Day for so many people.
Prince William read part of his late grandmother's 2012 Christmas broadcast.
"At Christmas, I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story," the Prince of Wales, 40, began, quoting the monarch's address from a decade ago. "A young mother and a dutiful father with their baby were joined by poor shepherds and visitors from afar. They came with their gifts to worship the Christ child. From that day on he has inspired people to commit themselves to the best interests of others. This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son 'to serve, not to be served.' He restored love and service to the center of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ."
He continued, "It is my prayer this Christmas Day that his example and teaching will continue to bring people together to give the best of themselves in the service of others. The carol, 'In the Bleak Midwinter', ends by asking a question of all of us who know the Christmas story, of how God gave himself to us in humble service: 'What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a wise man, I would do my part.' The carol gives the answer, 'Yet what I can I give him – give my heart.' "
Samir Hussein/WireImage King Charles and royal family at Christmas 2022
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Christmas trees in Westminster Abbey were also decorated with Paddington Bear ornaments, another nod to the history-making monarch. Queen Elizabeth became associated with Paddington Bear after doing a hilarious skit with the animated character that aired during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, and over 1,000 teddy bears were left by the public outside her royal residences in London and Windsor following her death.
