King Charles made his first-ever Christmas speech this year. Since 1932, British monarchs have made Christmas speeches which are broadcasted around the world, first a radio broadcast, then a TV broadcast. QEII made a habit of pre-recording her Christmas speeches and she expected her entire family to watch her speeches while they were in Sandringham together. There was a good dramatization of that in The Crown too, showing how uncomfortable she was with the television cameras and how nervous she was to allow people “into her home.”
Over the years, the monarch’s Christmas speech has been seen as a great unifier for the United Kingdom, I guess. Usually, that makes it sacrosanct. I think QEII’s Christmas speech was only “ruined” one time during her reign, when one of the Murdoch-owned outlets published the text of her speech days before Christmas. So… it’s a little bit funny that King Charles’s first Christmas speech was shared online nine hours before it was broadcast in the UK. A YouTube account called The Royal Grift posted Charles’s speech nine hours before it was broadcast in the UK. Now Buckingham Palace is deciding whether or not they’ll sue the YouTube channel. Dude, just take the L.
Meanwhile, Charles’s speech was notable because he “praised emergency and health workers, many of whom are striking for higher wages, as well as praising those who donate to and run food banks,” which are a feature of daily life in the cost of living crisis. He also spoke about the “great anxiety and hardship” people face in the economic crisis. This was all considered shockingly “political.” I find it interesting that Charles even bothered to mention the cost of living crisis while also ensuring that his coronation won’t be done on the cheap.
I guess it’s also notable that Charles didn’t mention the Sussexes…? I wasn’t expecting him to. No one thought he would, but the absence of a Sussex mention has sent royal reporters into a tizzy as they imagine that Harry and Meghan are “furious.” Please. Harry spent a happy holiday eating properly seasoned food with his wife, two children and his beloved mother-in-law.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- NMA SOLO As the Jewish community prepares to celebrate Chanukah, His Majesty The King visited JW3, a Jewish community centre that is open to all faiths and acts as a hub for the arts, culture, social action and learning in North London. Founded by Dame Vivien Duffield DBE, JW3 opened in October 2013 with a vision of a vibrant, diverse, unified British-Jewish community, inspired by and engaged with Jewish arts, culture, learning and life. the king was presented with a menorah,Image: 745049656, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler / Avalon
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- King Charles and Camilla arriving at Sandringham Church for Christmas Day service,Image: 746498358, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Malcolm Clarke / Avalon
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- King Charles leaves Sandringham Church after Christmas Day service,Image: 746498381, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Malcolm Clarke / Avalon
I love hearing about the cost of living from someone in a castle.
From someone who can’t put toothpaste on his own toothbrush too.
From someone who can’t take figure out how to use a fountain pen!
I was thinking the same thing! Chuckles and HorseFace don’t even live in the same mansion/castle/home times however many of those they have plus the staff that’s mostly likely underpaid to care for them. Can’t imagine how much it costs to heat all those ancient places. Really having “the king” say anything about this, is like a slap in the face to all of the Brits struggling to pay for the essentials of life.
Fishing Sunak took the cake..asking homeless man if he works in finance. Couldn’t understand that man was simply trying to survive the week. For all of KCIII, he still wants a big coronation..very Marie Antoinette cake moment
Under the reviews of his Christmas speech there were lots of comments that sounded a polite version of “off with their heads”, I don’t think he understands the mood of the country. Many remarked if he’ll think of the cost of living crisis during his lavish coronation.
Abolish the monarchy has been a popular tag in the background since the Queen passed away, he’s deluded if he thinks he’s the same as his mother.
Chuck isn’t anywhere as popular or as respected as his mother and now his past is coming back up like a herpes rash on top of serious social/economic problems in general.
If I were him, I’d have a plan in place to deaccession royal properties and belongings and ensure that he can retire to being a private citizen in peace.
I don’t even get the popularity of QE. Did she do anything different? She certainly didn’t sacrifice her standard of living to benefit the poor in her realm, any more than KC.
Am I the only one who has ever wondered if the palace smells musty?🤔 If I ever get an audience with Meghan or Harry I’m quite sure that’s the first thing I’ll want to sort out.
If KC3 keeps this up, then the British establishment will see to it that he is deposed. Peggy W is eagerly waiting in the wings.
I am sorry but any of these people praising healthcare personnel on strike for higher wages, and mentioning the cost of living crisis while spending millions of £££ of taxpayer money and living in palaces sounds tone deaf to me.
It’s giving “thoughts & prayers”
Serious Question: Why don’t they retire the taxpayer funds and live off the supposed billions they claim tourists pay to view their castles and palaces. They also have billion dollar businesses. I know i am putting it in a simplistic way but WHY are they still getting tax funds, even if its just a small amount from each taxpayer!?
If I understood correctly then the taxpayer funds are really for them carrying out their engagements. So that includes mainly security but also travel. And the taxpayers also foot the bill for repairing palaces. I don’t see how that will cost you tens of millions of pounds each year. Let alone 100 million pounds (2022). Clothes, grocery shopping holidays etc are supposed to be paid privately through the duchy’s of cornwall and lancaster.
But there is something sketchy going on with the royal finances. Because i think that technically they could live of the money they make of the duchy’s
Chloe – I imagine this is why everything from funerals to walks on Christmas morning get labeled as engagements then. This way Keen can spend £50k on a necklace to wear to a 5 minute Olympics event and it’s paid in full! Genius, lol. They’re so transparent.
I wish the country would overhaul how they are paid for their “work.” So, instead of a lump sum (which we’ve seen isn’t going to shrink even as the number of “working royals” gets smaller), they should be given a small stipend for each actual engagement they do. And that’s it. But somehow that family has brainwashed most of the country into believing they are ordained by god, and so even the queen’s corgis deserve to live in gold encrusted castles and eat better food than Britain’s starving masses.
The absolute nerve of Chuck talking about the cost of living crisis, right after confirming his coronation will not be scaled back in any way is giving let them eat cake vibes.
It’s the Christmas speech, isn’t it to address the people and Commonwealth not individual family members? Anyways he mentioned them when he first became King, no need to do it again. The Sussexes can’t win, if they get mentioned Charles is the bigger person and they are petty, if he doesn’t they are being snubbed.
‘His beloved mother-in-law.’ Yes!!! Can we talk about Doria?! She seems so down to earth, is obviously trustworthy, and seems very caring and kind. I bet she never spoke to ANYONE in her inner circle about ANYTHING related to her daughter and son-in-law. Not a peep. She’s so beautiful too. I’m so happy Harry has her for a MIL.
Doria is the greatest. I am so happy for Harry that he has such an amazing MiL. Of course no one can replace the mother he lost, but I’ll bet Doria is such a warm, loving, stable presence for him. I just love that for him.
My heart has been with Harry since, well, forever. Seeing that he has – finally! – a loving family to surround him is the best thing and I’m sure the only thing Diana would have wished for for her dear Harry. Doria is the rock that has helped to make Meghan the woman, wife & mother that she is. So let Salt Island, the Daily Mail and that POS at Politico bray about them. With the love they have together, they don’t need the negativity and probably couldn’t give two sh*ts anyway…they are free!
It is beyond ludicrous for the wealthiest royal family in Europe to talk about the cost of living. It’s almost like a “let them eat cake” irony because inflation just doesn’t really affect their lifestyle.
Cost of living crisis huh? Hey Chaz, how much did you pay in inheritance tax after Mummy kicked off? What’s that?…… None huh? Exempt as monarch huh?
Irony thy name is King Chuck. 🙄🙄🙄 F..k off dude, seriously.
Exactly!! 👏👏
Imagine how many millions they stole from the British taxpayers when they avoided to pay for the inheritance tax…
Stop taking their tax dollars and put the cost of YOUR living back in the people’s pockets, Charles. Also, toss the people a ruby or two. Also, give up several estates you don’t need. Take back three of William’s homes/palaces and give them to the unhoused. You and your loafers (your family, not your shoes) are a big part of the problem. So fix it.
Charles shouldn’t get praise for speech when he paid no inheritance tax and intends to spare no cost for his coronation. The obsession with Harry and Meghan by the press and royalists is scary.
Just watch Charles in a get up for his coronation just like Louis the 14th wore. He can talk about the plight of the poor making ends meet. Charles is pathetic
Personally, I’m happy he didn’t mention the Sussexes. At this point, I’d prefer everyone in that British mafia family keep H&M’s name out of their mouths.
I’m interested in seeing who made the video cut. Edward and Sophie were there, as was Anne. No other “lesser” royals like the Yorks (any of them).
The Palace’s own staff are paid terribly, which I’m sure KCIII loses no sleep over. And the fake concern for people struggling does stick in the craw somewhat when Charles not only has unimaginable wealth and a choice of castles and country homes in which to spend his days, but is known for his extravagance.
And actually UK Twitter didn’t seem too impressed by the speech.
I’m beginning to think none of us truly “get” Charles. He’s probably decided to do a parody reign. He’s so woke he’s just going to go ahead and satirize the whole monarchy mess because that’s the only way it makes sense that some guy living on estates, in palaces, and funded by a struggling public, goes on television to bemoan the cost of living while praising striking workers.
All he needed was that gold piano in the background.
You know what? I thought it was a good speech. Questionable messenger, perhaps, but it seemed as if someone put some thought into the optics. Given from a church rather than some gilded drawing room. Standing rather than sitting. No photographs for the world to project meaning onto. Overall message that it’s a good thing to help one another. I’m calling it a vast improvement.
Optics and performance. The gilded drawing rooms still exist and he has given up none of them or the wealth.
Charles is a super unlucky name for a British king. Just sayin’.
As far as acknowledging the cost of living crisis I’d say he was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. He’s just starting his reign and if he followed up with a scaled back coronation that would have given his words more validity. But after 70 years of immense wealth and privilege I don’t know if he’s capable of learning and/or changing. There’s no sign he’s learned from the Harry debacle
Wouldn’t be damned if he did if he had, as you say, scaled back. Or if he had offered some solutions or help.
A shot across the bow of the Tory Party?