It was the most viewed event on U.K. television on Christmas Day – the second Christmas King’s Speech in the reign of King Charles III. It attracted a total of 7.48 million viewers and a lot of attention due to its content and staging.
This year’s speech was pre-recorded at Buckingham Palace’s Centre Room, which opens on to the famous balcony overlooking the Mall and is the scene of many a balcony appearance.
The King was positioned next to a living Christmas tree, which was kept in a pot with its roots so it can be replanted after Christmas and used again next year.
The tree was adorned with sustainable festive decorations in wood, glass and paper, as well as natural decorations such as pine cones and dried oranges. This very much tied in with one of the central themes of his message – looking after our planet.
it is a subject that is very close to the King’s heart and despite the fact he has to remain apolitical as much as possible, it’s a subject he’s still passionate about. On his 75th birthday this year, the King launched the Coronation Food Project to tackle food waste, which also supports food banks and soup kitchens up and down the country.
He also gave the opening address at COP28 where he said, “Unless we rapidly repair and restore nature’s economy, based on harmony and balance, which is our ultimate sustainer, our own economy and survivability will be imperilled”.
This Christmas speech once again focused on this key issue. He said that it was the responsibility of “people of all faiths and of none” to care for the natural world and that the planet had to be protected “for the sake of our children’s children”. He added, “During my lifetime I have been so pleased to see a growing awareness of how we must protect the Earth and our natural world as the one home which we all share.”
The King also focused on the theme of service in the speech, referencing the Coronation and the hundreds of community volunteers who attended saying, “My wife and I were delighted when hundreds of representatives of that selfless army of people – volunteers who serve their communities in so many ways and with such distinction – were able to join us in Westminster Abbey for the Coronation earlier this year. They are an essential backbone of our society. Their presence meant so much to us both and emphasised the meaning of coronation itself: above all, a call to us all to serve one another; to love and care for all.’”
In a year when fighting in Ukraine intensified, and war broke out in Gaza, The King also touched on the theme of conflict with these words, “And at a time of increasingly tragic conflict around the World, I pray that we can also do all in our power to protect each other. The words of Jesus seem more than ever relevant: ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you”.
So, what do these themes of the environment, service and conflict say about the King, his reign so far and what we can expect from him in 2024? Well, it’s clear environmental issues are going to stay top of the agenda for King Charles III, but it may be a struggle for him to remain apolitical. While he is insistent that we have to do more to protect the planet and with a real sense of urgency, the current U.K. government under the leadership of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is watering down key pledges on green issues.
But a general election is looming in 2024, and under a new government, perhaps led by the current opposition leader, Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer, he may find an ally who shares his beliefs in working towards a greener future. Meanwhile, his Coronation Food Project has already been hailed as a success, and we could see more initiatives like this rolled out in the near future.
Service is at the heart of the monarchy, and of course we can expect to see the Royal Family continuing this service through supporting charitable causes and visits over the coming year. I think we can also expect to see the Prince and Princess of Wales, perhaps along with their children, embark on a visit to a Commonwealth country – Australia, New Zealand or Canada could be in the cards – in an attempt to keep the monarchy’s popularity up.
We can also expect to see more of Princess Anne, the hardest working member of the Firm that always notches up the most royal visits every year, and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh often touted as the family’s secret weapon. With Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, recovered from breast cancer and firmly back in the family’s good books, signed and sealed with a church walk on Christmas Day with the rest of the Royal Family and Christmas lunch at Sandringham, we may see more of her in 2024. Her former spouse Prince Andrew on the other hand, will not be called on to serve as he is facing even more scrutiny after a judge ordered secret case files, relating to more than 170 people who were either associates, friends or victims of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, can be made public. According to The Independent, he is said to be “totally tormented” at the prospect of even more details of his relationship with Epstein being in the public domain.
The Royal Family is no stranger to conflict within it’s ranks. In a year that started with the publication of Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare” and ended with the release of Omid Scobie’s book “Endgame”, the rift that has been between the Sussexes and the rest of the family is ever-present and shows no signs of being repaired. There was perhaps a thawing of relations around the time of the King’s birthday, when Harry and Meghan and their children, Lilibet and Archie, wished the King a Happy Birthday and sent sweet video messages to him. But the reigniting of discussions about the skin colour of Archie, as first raised in the interview between the Sussexes and Oprah Winfrey in 2021, thanks to Scobie’s book, have caused further embarrassment of the Royal Family, with a Dutch version of the book seemingly naming the two royals who expressed concerns over the skin colour of Meghan and Harry’s baby. Princes William and Harry remain estranged, with no hopes of a reconciliation on the cards for 2024.
While the King wants to seem a steadfast Monarch, a firm hand of continuity at a time of uncertainty and conflict in the world, the conflicts within his own household may continue to serve as a distraction in a new year.
