King Charles has said people of different faiths have “so much in common” as he urged compassion, reconciliation and unity in his Christmas Day message.
In his annual broadcast, which aired at 3pm, the King reflected on a recent State Visit to the Vatican with Queen Camilla and spoke of shared values across religions at a time of global division.
“A few weeks ago, The Queen and I were delighted to make a State Visit to the Vatican where we prayed with Pope Leo in a historic moment of spiritual unity,” the King said.
“As I meet people of different faiths, I find it enormously encouraging to hear how much we have in common; a shared longing for peace and a deep respect for all life.”
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The monarch said the visit had focused on the Jubilee theme, “Pilgrims of Hope”, and used the idea of pilgrimage as a central thread of his message.
He described pilgrimage as journeying forward into the future while also looking back to learn from the past.
King Charles linked this theme to commemorations held earlier this year marking the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day, noting that memories of World War Two are fading as generations pass.
“The end of the Second World War is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us, as the years pass,” he said.
King Charles says different faiths have ‘so much in common’ in Christmas message
|PA
“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.”
The King said those values had shaped both the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and warned against losing sight of them as conflict and division continue both domestically and internationally.
“For instance, it is impossible not to be deeply moved by the ages of the fallen – as the gravestones in our War Cemeteries remind us,” he said, noting that many who died in both World Wars were only 18, 19 or 20 years old.
Turning to the Christmas story, the King highlighted the journeys made by the Holy Family, the Wise Men and the Shepherds, emphasising the importance of companionship, kindness and resilience during times of hardship.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla walking with Princess Anne and Prince Edward immediately after | PA“Through physical and mental challenge, they found an inner strength,” he said, adding that these principles remain treasured across the world’s major faiths.
He said such values offer hope through resilience, peace through forgiveness and a renewed focus on community and neighbourliness.
Quoting T.S. Eliot, the King spoke of the need to pause amid the pace of modern life “at the still point of the turning world” to allow minds and spirits to renew.
The monarch said he had been encouraged by stories of courage and compassion over the past year, from military veterans to humanitarian workers in dangerous conflict zones, as well as ordinary individuals showing bravery to protect others.
King Charles and Queen Camilla lead Royal Family contingent on Christmas Day as Andrew absent | PA“It seems to me that we need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation; the way Our Lord lived and died,” he said.
Concluding his message, King Charles reflected on what he described as the “greatest pilgrimage of all”, the birth of Jesus Christ, recalling the prayer for peace first proclaimed near Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago.
“That prayer for peace and reconciliation – for ‘doing to others as we would have them do to us’ – still reverberates from there and around the world today,” he said, adding that it remains “a prayer for our times, and our communities too”.
The King ended by wishing viewers “a most peaceful and very happy Christmas”.
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