King Charles makes reference to his and family’s health in his most personal speech….See More

The monarch sent festive well-wishes to the nation

The King paid tribute to “the selfless doctors and nurses” who have supported him and his family through the “uncertainties and anxieties of illness” as he reflected on the royals’ difficult year in his Christmas Day speech.

In the pre-recorded message, filmed by Sky the Fitzrovia Chapel in London, Charles, 76, said in part: “I am speaking to you today from the Chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital in London – now itself a vibrant community space – and thinking especially of the many thousands of professionals and volunteers here in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth who, with their skills and out of the goodness of their heart, care for others – often at some cost to themselves.

The King and his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, were both diagnosed with cancer within weeks of one another, with Kate having completed chemotherapy in September, while Charles is set to continue treatment into 2025.

The monarch also touched upon the the importance of community, saying: “All of us go through some form of suffering at some stage in our life, be it mental or physical. The degree to which we help one another – and draw support from each other, be we people of faith or of none – is a measure of our civilisation as nations.

“This is what continually impresses me, as my family and I meet with, and listen to, those who dedicate their lives to helping others.”

The speech was broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day, hours after the King and Queen led the royals to St Mary Magdalene church, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their three children.

Charles was pictured attending church in Sandringham last Sunday, after hosting extended members of his family at Buckingham Palace for a pre-Christmas lunch last week.

The King’s Christmas speech in full
“Earlier this year, as we commemorated the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, the Queen and I had the enormous privilege of meeting, once again, the remarkable veterans of that very special generation who gave of themselves so courageously, on behalf of us all.

“Listening to these once-young service men and women touched us deeply as they spoke of their comrades, drawn from across the Commonwealth, who never returned and who now rest peacefully where they made the ultimate sacrifice. Their example of service and selflessness continues to inspire, across the generations.

During previous commemorations we were able to console ourselves with the thought that these tragic events seldom happen in the modern era.