When it came to the manner in which King Charles delivered his annual Christmas Day speech this year, there were significant alterations.
According to Mirror, the King, who is 76 years old, sent a message to the nation via a pre-recorded speech from the Fitzrovia Chapel, which is located in London and was formerly known as Middlesex Hospital. In addition to expressing his gratitude to those who have been there for him throughout his battle with cancer, he also expressed his "heartfelt thanks" to the devoted medical professionals who have been treating him this year.
The emotional message was noticeably different from the other addresses that the late Queen Elizabeth had delivered, with various subtleties about the surroundings, the manner, and the content of the speech. In contrast to the customary practice of the Queen filming her address at Buckingham Palace while seated at a desk, King Charles made the odd decision to pick a different backdrop and to speak while standing.
Tessa Dunlop, a historian and expert on the royal family, made the observation that King Charles selected an "alternative venue" and "refused to serve platitudes" when he made reference to the catastrophes that have occurred all around the world. This was the first speech in fourteen years that had not been videotaped in a building on the royal estate, which is a significant departure from the traditional routine.
The King highlighted: "I am speaking to you today from the Chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital in London - now itself a vibrant community space."
In her analysis of the King's Speech, Tessa explained to The Mirror that there was a minor controversy in the media when the Palace revealed that they would be using a different location for the transmission of the King's Christmas speech. The presumption was that King Charles would establish a direct connection to his own cancer when he was attending Fitzrovia Chapel, which was formerly affiliated with Middlesex Hospital.
Nevertheless, the monarch defied all kinds of expectations. It is possible that King Charles was tanned and relaxed as a result of his time spent in Australia. King Charles presented a picture of health, affording just a brief acknowledgment of the physicians and nurses who had provided him and his family with strength, care, and comfort throughout a year that was filled with royal maladies.
This sun-kissed royal refused to serve platitudes, despite the fact that he was in excellent physical condition. Despite the fact that he had to wait 74 years for kingship, the king did not spend one of his few meaningful moments of celebration on insignificant Christmas blessings he received. Instead, the head of state decided to make a connection between the big D-Day 80th anniversary celebrations that were meant to take place in 2024 and the current world that is riddled with violence.
Tessa made a remark in response to the King's statement that we are no longer able to "console ourselves" with the idea that tragic events are uncommon. She stated that King Charles "didn't let his audience off the hook."
She said: "The King reminded us that humanity is imperilled. War is everywhere and Charles, from his community-spirited Fitzrovia chapel, a rare point of sanity in a dangerous world."
She stated that the King's royal A-Team was present to give what King Charles perceives to be an "alternative to global killing: a listening and understanding mission that leads to actions for the good of all." Tessa stated that the brilliant film that followed the King's address "understood the importance of the King's royal A-Team."
Tessa witnessed a number of remarkable events, including the King's embrace with the New Zealand women's rugby team, Princess Kate's participation in Trooping the Colour, Queen Camilla's visits to Scotland and Australia, and Prince William's donation of food to those in need. Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were also spotted. But Princes Andrew and Harry were not present.
Per Daily Mail, in order to provide support to a nation and the world that is going through a challenging year, the King has reportedly made the decision to concentrate on the positive aspects of the family rather than the negative aspects.
As of 2019, the Queen did not include Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, or Meghan in her address. Since then, the King has completely abandoned the habit of including these individuals in his speeches.
Business Times has reached out to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for comments.
