The King’s heartfelt, vital message of unity

The King delivered his third Christmas speech from the Fitzrovia Chapel, surrounded by the artworks and ornate mosaics once intended to provide a place of prayer for the patients of the former Middlesex Hospital.

This was the first such broadcast in 18 years to be filmed outside of a royal residence, reflecting in some ways the trying circumstances of the last year. It is understood that the King intended to both reach out to the community of his country in its totality – the building is now a non-denominational community space – and a location with a connection to healthcare.

The King and the Princess of Wales underwent treatment for cancer this year, and these trials were made reference to in His Majesty’s speech, with the King offering his “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 his thoughts to those across the United Kingdom and Commonwealth who care for others, “often at some cost to themselves”.

These themes of community and sacrifice were woven deep throughout his speech, which opened with reflections on the sacrifices made across the Commonwealth on the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago, and on those who sacrificed everything for our freedom.

As the King said, while our lives are now relatively untouched by war, it behoves us at this time of year to “think of those for whom the devastating effects of conflict – in the Middle East, in Central Europe, in Africa and elsewhere – pose a daily threat”, and to those “working tirelessly to bring vital relief”.

Our own country has not been untouched by division. The King talked of his pride when “anger and lawlessness in several towns” were met not with further conflict but with work to repair relationships and trust between communities, and how the example of the Commonwealth summit demonstrates that “diversity of culture, ethnicity and faith provides strength, not weakness”.

As the King says, the path to overcoming the conflicts between us has been laid before us in the Gospels. The example that Jesus provides is “timeless and universal”; we are called to “enter the world of those who suffer” and “bring hope where there is despair”. The “degree to which we help one another – and draw support from each other, be we people of faith or of none – is a measure of our civilisation as nations”.