King Charles gives sneak peek of his Christmas message

While his mother Queen Elizabeth liked to keep us all in anticipation, King Charles has given his subjects an unprecedented teaser of his Christmas Day message.

A very dapper looking King Charles has bucked tradition and released a special behind-the-scenes look at his Christmas Day message.

The unprecedented sneak peek is especially welcome for Aussie royal watchers who will otherwise have to wait until 2am AEDT Boxing Day to watch the address which was prerecorded a fortnight ago.

Britain's King Charles III smiles during the recording of his Christmas message at the Fitzrovia Chapel in central London. Picture: AFP

In the special glimpse video released on the royal Instagram account, viewers are shown a script titled The King’s Christmas Broadcast 2024 with all of its contents blurred out so as to keep us in suspense.

The King adjusts his tie and stands tall as he prepares to speak and the voice of the director can be heard.

“Can we just have complete quiet on the floor please?” the director says.

“Roll cameras and record.

“We’re rolling sir whenever you're ready.”

The royal family was under a dark cloud at this time last year, as unbeknown to the public at the time, both the King and Princess Catherine were fighting cancer.

With both of the royals reported to be doing well after receiving treatment throughout 2024, the family approaches the Christmas season with a renewed hope for the future.

King Charles is forging his own path as monarch, changing the way he presents the annual Christmas message. Picture: Getty Images

In a nod to their cancer journeys, His Majesty chose to record his seasonal speech not at a royal estate as usual, but at a church with unique links to the medical community.

King Charles will reflect on his “extraordinary” year in the speech, which he filmed almost two weeks ago at the Fitzrovia Chapel, a former hospital chapel.

It marks the first time in 14 years that the speech has not been filmed on a royal property.

The chapel used to serve London’s medical community and it is thought Charles’s decision was a nod to his cancer battle.

King Charles III at The King's Foundation's annual 'Crafts at Christmas' at Highgrove Gardens. His Christmas message was filmed at a former hospital chapel. Picture: AFP

It comes amid reports that King Charles’ cancer treatment will continue into next year.

The King’s recovery is “moving in a positive direction” but is still ongoing, Sky News reports.

A source told the broadcaster: “His treatment has been moving in a positive direction.

“As a managed condition the treatment cycle will continue into next year.”

The King, who is still considered a “newbie monarch” in comparison with his mother’s record-breaking tenure, has endured a difficult second year as sovereign.

King Charles III smiles during The King's Foundation's annual 'Crafts at Christmas' at Highgrove Gardens on December 13, 2024 in Tetbury, England. Picture: Chris Jackson – Pool/Getty Images

He was diagnosed with cancer and had to deal with ongoing treatment, while his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, was also being treated for the condition.

But a source said brave Charles had coped with the past year with a “determination to be as public as he was able” to reassure the nation about how much he could still do.

He has also been buoyed by Queen Camilla’s support.

A source told The Sun: “Her natural warmth, resilience and sense of humour, as I’m sure any patient will tell you, is a wonderful thing to have.

Queen Camilla attends a reception at Waltham Forest Town Hall in London on December 20, 2024. Picture: AFP

King Charles III (R) waves as he walks with Fr Dominic Robinson on after attending an Advent Service at The Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception, in London, on December 17, 2024. Picture: AFP

“Of course it’s been a stressful year for Her Majesty, too, but there was never a sense of despondency.

“Only a determination that they would get through this, as with so many other challenging issues in the past.”

Last week Kate and Wills skipped King Charles’s pre-Christmas lunch – after Andrew pulled out amid the alleged Chinese spy scandal.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were in Norfolk as planned but insiders had urged Andrew to “uninvite himself” from the family’s pre-festive bash.

CADBURY ‘DISAPPOINTED’ AT LOSING ROYAL WARRANT

Chocolate firm Cadbury said it was “disappointed” after losing its royal warrant for the first time in 170 years following King Charles III’s first review of the coveted list since becoming monarch.

Campaign group B4Ukraine earlier this year urged the king to remove companies “still operating in Russia” following its invasion of Ukraine.

It singled out Mondelez International which owns Cadbury as well as Bacardi, Nestle and Unilever, the maker of Marmite.

Cadbury was among 100 firms including Unilever missing from a new list of 386 royal warrant holders, although Bacardi and Nestle retained their warrants.

Warrant holders receive “the right to display the appropriate royal arms on their product, packaging, stationery, advertising, premises and vehicles”.

It is regarded as a guarantee of quality and can sway some customers to choose a particular firm’s goods or services.

Cadbury, which was first awarded a royal warrant by Queen Victoria in 1854, was reportedly a favourite of the late queen.

A spokesperson for Mondelez said Cadbury had been “a part of British life for generations” and remained the “nation’s favourite chocolate”.

“Whilst we are disappointed to be one of hundreds of other businesses and brands in the UK to not have a new warrant awarded, we are proud to have previously held one, and we fully respect the decision,” the spokesperson added.

Buckingham Palace does not give reasons or comment on decisions about royal warrants.