In his first Christmas address since ascending to the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in September, King Charles sent a touching message of pain and loss.
“Christmas is a very melancholy time for those of us who have lost loved ones,” the 74-year-old king said in prerecorded remarks on December 13 at Windsor Castle, where Elizabeth is buried.
“Their absence is felt with each passing season, and we remember them with each beloved custom.”
“In the popular Christmas carol ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem,’ we sing, ‘In the dark street, the everlasting light shines,’” the king explained. “My mother’s faith in the power of that light was an integral element of her faith in God, as well as her faith in humanity — a faith that I wholeheartedly share.”
Charles continued by praising “health and social care professionals,” educators, and “all those who serve the public.”
“We see it in the humanity of individuals across our nations and the Commonwealth who respond so readily to the distress of others,” he said.
“I believe we can fight for the future in this life-giving light and with the true humility that resides in our devotion to others, regardless of your faith or lack thereof.”
On Sunday, members of the royal family gathered at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham for their annual Christmas Day ceremony.
According to the BBC, Charles and family members met people outside the chapel following the 45-minute service.
Prince Andrew, the disgraced, Jeffrey Epstein-affiliated brother of the king who has been rarely seen in public since resigning from his official royal duties in 2019, was reportedly in attendance.
Queen Elizabeth was the longest-reigning British queen when she passed away at the age of 96 on September 8.
»King Charles’ first Christmas message honors Queen Elizabeth«