Blitz Bureau
IN a Christmas Day message, King Charles thanked the medics who have cared for him and his daughter-in-law Kate, after they both underwent treatment for cancer this year. He also touched on global conflicts and the summer’s riots in Britain. In his third Christmas TV broadcast since becoming King, Charles struck an unusually personal tone for the royal seasonal message, a tradition that dates back to a radio speech by George V in 1932, according to Reuters.
“All of us go through some form of suffering at some stage in our life, be it mental or physical,” Charles, who became king in 2022 after the death of Queen Elizabeth, said, the news agency reported.
“From a personal point of view, I offer special heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who this year have supported me and other members of my family through the uncertainties and anxieties of illness, and have helped provide the strength, care and comfort we have needed,” Charles said.
“I am deeply grateful too to all those who have offered us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement,” he said in the pre-recorded broadcast that was filmed at an ornate chapel of a former London hospital. Last week, a palace source said the king’s treatment was progressing well and would continue into next year.
Earlier on December 25, the King was joined by his family, including Kate, William and their children, for a traditional church service on his Sandringham estate in eastern England.