During his first Christmas broadcast as the king of the United Kingdom on Sunday, King Charles III expressed his compassion for individuals who are dealing with “great anxiety and difficulty.” This came as the cost-of-living situation in the country continued to worsen.
Charles said he wanted to pay tribute to “all those wonderfully kind people who so generously give food or donations, or that most precious commodity of all—their time—to support those around them who are in greatest need.” Charles was praising individuals, charities, and faith groups that support those in need.
“In this time of great anxiety and hardship, be it for those around the world facing conflict, famine, or natural disasters, or for those at home finding ways to pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm, we see it in the humanity of people throughout all of our nations,” he added. “Be it for those around the world facing conflict, famine, or natural disasters, or for those at home finding ways to pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm, we see it in
Charles, who is 73 years old and took the throne in September when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away, stated that “Christmas was a very emotional time for all of us who have lost loved ones.” Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September.
In the prerecorded message, he said, “We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition.” The message was recorded in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, which is also where his mother and father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, are buried. “We remember them in each cherished tradition,” he said.
Since its first broadcast in 1932, the monarch’s message has been broadcast on television and radio in the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth countries for the past nine decades.
Typically, it includes a chronicle of the significant events that occurred throughout the year, expressing the monarch’s thoughts on the previous year.
The speech that Charles is giving comes after a difficult year for the United Kingdom, which saw a jump in interest rates and mortgage payments, the value of the pound plummet, and the cost of borrowing for the government skyrocket.
In addition, there has been a string of walkouts by workers in the public sector over pay in the context of historic inflation.
On Friday, employees at the United Kingdom’s borders went on strike, which will have an impact on airport services. This comes only three days after thousands of nurses walked out in their second 24-hour strike in December. A strike by workers in the ambulance and emergency medical services was held earlier this week, and another one is scheduled to take place on December 28.
In salary discussions with the public sector, the Prime Minister of Nepal, Rishi Sunak, stated that his government had behaved “fairly and properly.”
The royal family has also come under intense scrutiny as of late as a result of a six-part documentary series that was released on Netflix about Harry and Meghan. In the documentary, the couple places blame on the royal household as well as the British media for their decision to give up their royal duties in 2020 and move to the United States.