The King has used his Christmas message to urge the nation to “never lose sight” in a divisive world of the Second World War values of “courage and sacrifice” and community spirit.
In the wake of the Bondi Beach shootings and the Manchester synagogue attack, Charles also praised the “spontaneous bravery” of those who put themselves in “harm’s way to defend others”.
And the King referenced the impact new technologies can have on wellbeing and community cohesion as the world spins “ever faster”, suggesting the festive period might be a moment to recharge and for those communities to grow stronger.
The annual Christmas broadcast is written by the King and is the rare occasion when he does not turn to the government for advice. He put communities at the heart of his message, commenting on the benefits of their “diversity” and how they displayed courage in adversity.
Charles has long seen his role as helping to build bridges between these communities, faith groups and others, believing he is a part of society, not apart from it.
The King and Queen attended major commemorations this year to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, and Charles said in the broadcast: “The end of the Second World War is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us, as the years pass.“
But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way communities came together in the face of such great challenge, carry a timeless message for us all.“
These are the values which have shaped our country and the Commonwealth. As we hear of division, both at home and abroad, they are the values of which we must never lose sight.”
The past 12 months have seen division growing over a number of issues, from protests over the housing of asylum seekers, polarisation in the political landscape, so-called culture wars making headlines and the continued cost-of-living crisis widening the gap between the rich and poor and fuelling discontent between the generations.
Charles’s late parents Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh were from the wartime generation and footage was shown of an event marking the VE Day anniversary, with the Prince of Wales and Prince George meeting Second World War veterans at a Buckingham Palace tea party, and another video of the King taking part in a VJ Day ceremony.
The King went on to comment on examples of right overcoming wrong at home and overseas: “These stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope, from our venerable military veterans to selfless humanitarian workers in this century’s most dangerous conflict zones; to the ways in which individuals and communities display spontaneous bravery, instinctively placing themselves in harm’s way to defend others.”
The broadcast showed Charles at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, where he visited survivors of the October terror attack and met those who blocked the doors as a knife-wielding assailant tried to get in.
An arch in Sydney, Australia, with the words Bondi Beach was seen in footage followed by hundreds of floral tributes left after two gunmen targeted a Jewish festival, killing 15 people.
The widely acclaimed hero of the massacre, Syrian-born immigrant Ahmed al Ahmed, was shot after wrestling a firearm from one of the gunmen.
Commenting on busy modern lives and the effects of new technologies on communities and individuals, especially the young, the King said: “Indeed, as our world seems to spin ever faster, our journeying may pause, to quieten our minds – in TS Eliot’s words ‘At the still point of the turning world’ – and allow our souls to renew.
“In this, with the great diversity of our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that right triumphs over wrong.” An aide to the King said: “I think His Majesty hopes that, if nothing else, Christmas might afford a moment when people could experiment with something of a ‘digital detox’ to focus more on our friendships, our families and our faith for those who practise.“
In this way the King hopes our minds may find greater peace, our souls can renew, and our communities grow stronger.
”The address, recorded on December 11 in Westminster Abbey’s Lady Chapel, made no reference to Charles’s recent “good news” announcement about reducing his cancer treatment, reflecting his wish for his message to mirror society’s experiences during the past 12 months.
There was a strong religious element in the address to the nation and Commonwealth from the King, a committed Anglican Christian, whose key theme was pilgrimage, and he emphasised the Biblical journeys made by Mary and Joseph, arriving “homeless” in Bethlehem, and the three wise men and shepherds to pay homage to the baby Jesus.
Charles’s recent state visit to the Vatican celebrated the Papal Jubilee year themed “Pilgrims of Hope”, and Westminster Abbey is a pilgrim church as it contains the shrine of the canonised Edward the Confessor, whose tomb has attracted pilgrims for centuries. George featured again in footage with his father William making a private visit to the homeless charity The Passage, where they donned aprons and helped prepare food.
The figures in the Christmas story relied on “companionship and kindness of others” during their pilgrimages and found “inner strength” to deal with physical and mental challenges.
Charles added: “To this day, in times of uncertainty, these ways of living are treasured by all the great faiths and provide us with deep wells of hope: of resilience in the face of adversity; peace through forgiveness; simply getting to know our neighbours and, by showing respect to one another, creating new friendships.”
Members of the royal family were featured during the broadcast, from Camilla in a red phone box with a group of children during a visit to Dulwich Picture Gallery and William and the Duchess of Edinburgh clinking paper cups of gin at the Royal Cornwall Show.
The Christmas message of “peace and reconciliation” delivered by angels when they proclaimed the arrival of Jesus – “the greatest pilgrimage of all” – was a “prayer for our times and our communities”, said the King in conclusion.
Charles’s continued support for Ukraine since the early period of Russia’s invasion was reflected in the choice of choir, Songs for Ukraine Chorus, who closed the broadcast by singing the hugely popular Carol Of The Bells, based on a song by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych.
