King Charles III will deliver his Christmas message this year from Westminster Abbey. This has now been officially confirmed.
Usually, the Christmas speech is filmed inside royal homes. These include Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, or Sandringham. This year is different.
The speech was filmed inside the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey. It is a place filled with history and meaning.
The King is expected to speak about life as a journey. He will reflect on how this journey teaches lessons that still matter today.
The choice of location is important. Westminster Abbey has long been linked to pilgrimage. People have gathered there for centuries to honour the life of Edward the Confessor.
This is not the first time King Charles has chosen a non royal location. Last year, his Christmas message was filmed at the Fitzrovia Chapel. That speech focused on health struggles faced by both him and the Princess of Wales in 2024.
The Lady Chapel itself holds deep royal history. Fifteen former monarchs are buried there. These include Elizabeth I, Mary I, and Charles II.
The chapel is also home to the Order of the Bath. King Charles is the Sovereign Head of this ancient order.
The Christmas message tradition began in 1932. King George V delivered the first one by radio.
The first televised Christmas speech came later in 1957. Queen Elizabeth II delivered it to the nation.
Since then, the speech has become a moment of reflection. It looks back at the year and speaks directly to the public.
King Charles gave his first Christmas message in 2022. It focused on the loss of his mother. That speech was filmed at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
