King Charles' Christmas Day message to feature living tree and Buckingham Palace backdrop
The first picture has been released of King Charles' 2023 Christmas message.
The King will deliver his second Christmas message on Monday from Buckingham Palace.
In keeping with the King’s strong beliefs in sustainability, this year’s Christmas Day broadcast features a living Christmas Tree for the first time rather than the usual cut tree.
King Charles decided to move the location for the traditional royal broadcast to the headquarters of the monarchy, after filming his first one at St George’s Chapel in Windsor in 2022, where his mother had been buried just a few months before.
This year the traditional 3pm message, which is broadcast to the UK, the other 14 Realms where he remains Head of State and the countries of the Commonwealth, was filmed in the Centre Room of Buckingham Palace.
The room – as its name suggests – is in the middle of the east wing of the Palace and leads onto the main balcony from where members of the Royal Family stand on significant occasions.
It was from the Centre Room that the newly crowned King and Queen stepped out on Coronation Day last May to see the thousands of people who had crowded onto The Mall.
In a picture released by Buckingham Palace of the King’s broadcast, the Queen Victoria Memorial can be seen behind the King as he delivers his message.
It was recorded earlier this month and this year, cameras from ITN and ITV News were invited to film the King’s broadcast and the playing of the national anthem.
The living Christmas tree behind him will be replanted after the festive season.
The tree was decorated with natural and sustainable decorations including hand turned wood, dried oranges, blown glass, pinecones and paper.
The King is pictured standing as he recorded his Christmas message.
The late Queen always delivered hers from a seated position behind a desk, which was more comfortable for the elderly Monarch in her final years.
No details have been released about the content of the speech, which is usually closely guarded until it is transmitted at 3pm local time in the countries where it is shown.
Although that means it will be shown at 4am UK time in Australia and 2am UK time in New Zealand, the palace does what it can to prevent the broadcast popping up on the internet and YouTube before 3pm GMT.
On Christmas Day, King Charles and Queen Camilla will attend the traditional 11am service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
They will be joined by other members of the Royal Family, like Prince William and Kate and their three children, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
After the service, they will return to the main house for the traditional Christmas lunch.
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