Britain's King Charles III recorded a Christmas video message to the nation in the chapel of "Virgin Mary" in Westminster Abbey in London.
By tradition, British monarchs deliver a Christmas message, which is recorded within the walls of their royal residences - Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or Sandringham. However, Charles III broke this tradition for the second year in a row. Last year, he addressed the nation from a small chapel in the central London district of Fitzrovia.
Charles III's speech will be broadcast on Christmas Day, which Protestants and Catholics celebrate on December 25, at 3:00 p.m. local time. The Christmas message is considered a deeply personal message by the monarch, which was not agreed with the British government.
The first Christmas address to the nation was delivered over the radio in 1932 by Charles III's great-grandfather, King George V. During the Second World War, Christmas messages took on special significance. The current monarch's grandfather, George VI, used them to lift the spirits of the nation. In 1952, this tradition was continued by his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II. In 1957, she wished her subjects a Merry Christmas in video format, live on the air. Since 1960, the addresses have been recorded in advance so that they can be sent to all countries of the British Commonwealth.
Elizabeth II has deviated from the practice of recording addresses in the royal chambers several times. In 1989, she greeted the nation on the holiday and reflected on the achievements of the year, surrounded by by two thousand children, from the Royal Albert Hall in the capital, in 2003 from Combermere Barracks in Windsor and in 2006 from Sutherland Cathedral in London.