King Charles has broken tradition by hiding one detail in the background of this year’s Christmas speech.
Just recently, a still image from this year’s broadcast has surfaced on the internet, which captures the King’s second festive speech during his reign. The image shows that the speech, produced by ITN, was filmed in the Central Room at Buckingham Palace.
The Central Room, located in the East Wing, overlooks the balcony of Buckingham Palace, which overlooks the Victoria Memorial and Mall, where crowds gathered to celebrate May’s coronation.
King Charles included a hidden detail in the background of this year’s Christmas speech – a live Christmas tree. It is the first time a live Christmas tree has been included in a royal Christmas speech.
King Charles intends to replant the Christmas tree after the broadcast on 25 December, continuing his environmental activism. Natural and eco-friendly ornaments, dried oranges, brown glass, pine stones and paper can be seen on the Christmas tree.
In the background during the speech, a potpourri bowl with a gilded metal lid could be seen standing on a table. This circular tatsu-shaped bowl in Japanese lacquered wood with gilded bronze mounts is held by the Royal Collection Trust and was probably acquired by King George IV.
King Charles’ Christmas speech will be broadcast on GB News at 3pm on Christmas Day. The King has reportedly “written the script himself” this year, “without the help of advisers”. Royal insider Ephraim Hardcastle wrote:
With his Christmas Day message in the bag, King Charles has, according to my source, written the script himself without recourse to advisers. This follows last year’s inaugural address to the nation when officials were only allowed to make minor alterations to fit with archive footage inserted by the producers.
Last year, the king also made sure the Christmas tree had plastic-free and recyclable decorations when he gave the speech from St George’s Chapel just two months after the late Queen’s death.
The King also attended this year’s COP28 in Dubai and gave a speech on climate change and how the world is heading into “dangerous and uncharted territory”, with devastating consequences for lives and livelihoods.
