King Charles III on Sunday delivered his first Christmas Day address since becoming monarch in September. However, during his address, he broke some royal Christmas traditions which his later mother, Queen Elizabeth II, practised for years while doing her speeches.
In his Christmas Day address, King Charles praised "wonderfully kind" Britons as the country is gripped by a cost of living crisis. While the Queen was almost always spotted sitting down while giving her speech, King Charles broke tradition by choosing to stand while giving his address. He also chose not to have family photos on display, and instead opted for a festive, blurred background.
According to The Independent, the main reason for this was that the speech was filmed in a church, where there's no room to have a desk packed with family photos. He also dedicated many of his words to his mother, and reportedly wouldn't have wanted to deflect attention from her.
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Meanwhile, in this year's speech, King Charles reflected on how he was standing "so close to where my beloved mother, the late Queen, is laid to rest with my dear father" in the King George VI Memorial Chapel. He thanked the public for the "love and sympathy" after thousands of people sent cards and messages of condolence.
On the festive period being a "poignant time" for bereaved families, the monarch said, "We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition".
"I particularly want to pay tribute to all those wonderfully kind people who so generously give food or donations, or... their time, to support those around them in greatest need," King Charles said, dressed in a blue suit.
Notably, King Charles ascended to the throne when Queen Elizabeth died on September 8 after a record-breaking seven-decade reign.
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