By choosing to film this year's Christmas address away from Buckingham Palace, King Charles is said to have deftly avoided the tremendous attention that has been directed upon Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, according to a representative of the royal family.
The renowned Christmas speech was given from Fitzrovia Chapel in London, breaking convention with the typical royal backgrounds. This was the first time in years that the message has been delivered from this location.
The author Robert Hardman argues that the new setting could perhaps save the king from the intense examination of photos that has been witnessed in previous addresses. Royal pundits are known to engage in critical analysis of the images that are presented, which frequently results in heated disputes when the photographs of Prince Harry and Meghan do not make the cut.
Due to the fact that she was speaking about "generosity and sacrifice," Queen Elizabeth II's use of a "gold" piano caused a controversy on the internet. The gilding of the instrument had been done by Queen Victoria in the nineteenth century.
According to the Daily Record, critics did not miss a beat when it came to criticizing the extravagant setting, which was underlined by the fact that Queen Victoria herself had decked out the piano in gold décor. In addition, the inclusion of photographs of the family in these addresses has always generated a lot of excitement.
"There can also be some advantages in moving the recording away from home," Hardman noted in an article that he wrote for the Daily Mail. During an address that was taped from the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace in 2018, the Queen was subjected to criticism on social media for her request for "generosity and self-sacrifice."
Anti-monarchists grumbled that she was speaking in front of a "gold piano", a gilded 19th-century piece commissioned for Queen Victoria.
"By avoiding a royal desk or sitting room, the King has also avoided any micro -analysis of whichever royal photographs and portraits are in shot, and thus hinting at who is (or is not) in royal favour. The Fitzrovia Chapel reveals nothing more tantalising than a Christmas tree decorated with 'sustainable' decorations," Hardman added.
It has been said that the connection between the King and his youngest son has become difficult ever since Prince Harry and Meghan decided to stand down from their roles as working royals and migrate from the United Kingdom.
The King is reportedly anxious that Prince Harry would use their chats against him in his ongoing legal struggle with the Home Office, as reported by Express.co.uk. Prince Harry is now facing charges related to those conversations.
The King was also reportedly infuriated when Prince Harry referred to Queen Camilla as "the Other Woman" and a "wicked stepmother" in his 2023 memoir Spare. An insider told The Mirror: "It was the last straw."
"Prince Harry was well aware how Queen Camilla would be a red line for his father and he crossed with flagrant disregard anyway. The King felt without a doubt it crossed a line it was the ultimate act of disrespect," the insider added.
Business Times has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comments.
