King Charles urges compassion and reconciliation in Christmas message

WEB DESK: Britain’s King Charles III used his Christmas Day broadcast to urge compassion and reconciliation in a world increasingly marked by conflict and division, calling on people to draw strength from shared values that cut across faiths and communities.

In a nationally televised address recorded at Westminster Abbey, the 77-year-old monarch said he took heart from the way people of different religions continued to express a common desire for peace, despite violence and polarisation at home and abroad.

“At a time when we so often hear of division, I find it enormously encouraging that people of many faiths, and of none, continue to share a deep longing for peace,” the king said, adding that such unity offered hope in troubled times.

Praise for courage amid violence

King Charles paid tribute to individuals who have put their own lives at risk to protect others during violent incidents, highlighting what he described as spontaneous acts of bravery. His remarks were accompanied by images from recent events, including a deadly attack at a Jewish gathering at Bondi Beach in Australia earlier this month.

“Journeying is a constant theme of the Christmas Story. The Holy Family made a journey to Bethlehem and arrived homeless without proper shelter. The Wise Men made a pilgrimage from the East to worship at the cradle of Christ; and the Shepherds journeyed from field to town in… pic.twitter.com/j0wbYdPWa9

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 25, 2025

“Individuals and communities have shown extraordinary courage, instinctively placing themselves in harm’s way to defend others,” he said, praising those who responded selflessly in moments of danger.

The king said such actions reflected enduring values that remain relevant decades after they were forged, particularly in the aftermath of global conflict.

Lessons from history

Marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War, King Charles reflected on the sacrifices of servicemen and women and the resilience shown by communities during the rebuilding that followed. He said their courage and solidarity carried lessons that continued to resonate today.

“These are the values that have shaped our country,” he said. “As we hear of division both at home and abroad, they are values we must never lose sight of.”

Emphasising Britain’s social and cultural diversity, the king said it could be a source of collective strength rather than division. He urged people to remain committed to ensuring that “right triumphs over wrong” by holding fast to compassion and reconciliation.

“It seems to me that we must cherish these values, compassion and reconciliation, as they were lived and taught,” he said.

Interfaith outreach and recent engagements

The Christmas message also reflected Charles’s longstanding interest in interfaith dialogue. In October, he became the first head of the Church of England to pray publicly with a pope since the split between Rome and the Anglican Church more than 500 years ago. The service, led by Pope Leo at the Vatican, was described by the king as a historic moment of spiritual unity.

Earlier that same month, Charles met survivors of a deadly attack on a synagogue and members of the Jewish community in Manchester, underscoring his emphasis on solidarity with communities affected by violence and hatred.

A message without personal references

This year’s address marked the second consecutive Christmas in which the king delivered his message from a location other than a royal residence. Last year, he spoke from a former hospital chapel, publicly thanking medical staff after announcing his cancer diagnosis.

In contrast, the 2025 message made no mention of his health, nor did it refer to his younger brother, Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles in October over his links to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The broadcast did, however, include images of the heir to the throne, Prince William, as well as Prince George, reinforcing the focus on continuity within the royal family.

The address concluded with a Christmas carol performed by a Ukrainian choir formed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a symbolic nod to the ongoing war and the suffering it has caused.

Later in the day, Charles and other members of the royal family, including the daughters of Prince Andrew, attended a Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, maintaining a long-standing royal tradition despite a year marked by global and personal challenges.