The King paid tribute to his mother during his speech while also establishing his own voice and traditions, according to a royal analyst. He decided to stand to give his speech from the King George VI Memorial Chapel, unlike the Queen who would sit in a drawing room surrounded by photographs of her loved ones.
The King’s choice to deliver the speech in the resting place of his parents was a touching element to his first address.
Charles chose to pay tribute to the Armed Forces and workers in the emergency services in a speech which has led many to question whether this is the beginning of a more politically involved monarch.
Amid the controversial strike action of NHS staff, rail workers, and Royal Mail workers, to name a few, the King praised their “selfless dedication”.
The comment comes after the Health Secretary Steve Barclay accused NHS workers of making a “conscious choice to inflict harm” on patients amid strike action.
Charles discussed his and the late-Queen’s “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.”
He added: “We see it in the selfless dedication of our Armed Forces and Emergency Services who work tirelessly to keep us all safe.
“We see it in our health and social care professionals, our teachers and indeed all those working in public service, whose skill and commitment are at the heart of our communities.”
Royal correspondent for Sky News Rhiannon Mills wrote: “With the deepest respect for his mother’s way, he is beginning to show how he wants to do things differently.”
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Addressing the political nods in his speech, viewers took to Twitter to share their thoughts.
User @RaeSnape tweeted: “Not a royalist but what a warm and lovely speech from King Charles, celebrating kindness and mentioning all the people making a difference to society and including a shout out to teachers! Thank you, Sir!”
Ms Mills added: “We’d got used to his mother’s subtlety in her annual messages. I remember one recently where she mentioned simply how it had been a bumpy year; she didn’t need to spell out the specific issues of political turmoil and problems she’d had with her own family.
“Her son it seems wants to be more straight-talking, dedicating several minutes of his message to focus on what he calls a time of ‘great anxiety and hardship’.
“He doesn’t hold back in spelling out what for him is an indisputable fact, that many are struggling and it is really community heroes who are keeping the country going.”
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Twitter user @ruthdavies560 said: “Really nice for social care and the care sector to be recognised by King Charles in his Christmas speech.”
Another added: “King Charles struck the right balance of showing reverence toward his mother but maintaining his own voice. The speech was a success.”
The King concluded his speech saying: “So, whatever faith you have, or whether you have none, it is in this life-giving light, and with the true humility that lies in our service to others, that I believe we can find hope for the future.
“Let us therefore celebrate it together and cherish it always. With all my heart, I wish each of you a Christmas of peace, happiness, and everlasting light.”
