As has been an annual tradition for the monarch since 1932, King Charles will make his annual Christmas Day broadcast at 3pm this year – however, there will be a break with tradition in the location of the broadcast.
Advertisement
That is because, rather than the broadcast coming from a royal palace or estate, it will this year come from the Fitzrovia Chapel in central London, which once served as the chapel for Middlesex Hospital.
It's understood that the decision to move the broadcast, which was recorded earlier this month, was made because the king wanted a location with a healthcare connection, given that he was diagnosed with cancer this year, and has been undergoing treatment.
This will be the first time in more than a decade that the Christmas speech has been recorded in a location that is not a royal palace or estate.
King Charles III. Samir Hussein/WireImage
The 19th Century former chapel building is now used for exhibitions and events for people of any faiths and none, and it has been noted that this ties in with the King's interest in building bridges between different beliefs, backgrounds and religions.
The King's regular sessions of treatment for cancer are continuing, but he has been attending a series of events in the run-up to Christmas, and has a busy schedule in the New Year.
When it comes to Christmas broadcasts which have come from varied locations, Queen Elizabeth II recorded one in 1989 from the Royal Albert Hall, and another from Combermere Barracks in Windsor in 2003, in tribute to the armed forces involved with the Second Gulf War. She delivered another, in 2006, from Southwark Cathedral in London.
As has become tradition, Channel 4 will not be hosting the King's Speech on Christmas Day, and will instead broadcast its annual Alternative Christmas Message.
This will air at 4:50pm, and will be delivered by Strictly Come Dancing champion Chris McCausland, will be urging an end to disability discrimination.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
