King Charles III has delivered his annual Christmas Day message by thanking medical staff who have cared for him and his daughter-in-law Princess Kate, after they both underwent treatment for cancer this year.
The monarch's broadcast is a tradition that dates back to a radio speech by George V in 1932. This year's message was King Charles' third since being crowned and touched on global conflicts and riots that broke out in the United Kingdom in August.
The holiday message is watched by millions of people in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth, with many households timing Christmas lunch around it.
This year has been traumatic for the royals after Buckingham Palace said in February that the 76-year-old monarch had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer detected in tests after a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate.
One month later, Princess Kate, the wife of his son and heir Prince William, said she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer that concluded in September.
William has also said the year has been brutal for the family.
"All of us go through some form of suffering at some stage in our life, be it mental or physical," King Charles said in his message.
"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.
"This is what continually impresses me, as my family and I meet with, and listen to, those who dedicate their lives to helping others."
The king filmed the pre-recorded message at the ornate Fitzrovia Chapel of a former hospital in central London — the first time the monarch has delivered the Christmas Day address away from the royal estate in 19 years.
His words were accompanied by footage of a visit he made to a cancer treatment centre on returning to public duties in April and of one of Kate's first engagements when she resumed working.
"From a personal point of view, I offer 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 have helped provide the strength, care and comfort we have needed," he said.
"I am deeply grateful too to all those who have offered us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement."
Last week, a palace source said the king's treatment was progressing well and would continue into next year.
'We can overcome it': King addresses conflicts
King Charles used his message to address the ongoing war in Ukraine and conflicts being waged in the Middle East and Africa by reflecting on this year's commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
"I had the enormous privilege of meeting, once again, the remarkable veterans of that very special generation who gave of themselves so courageously, on behalf of us all," he said.
"During previous commemorations we were able to console ourselves with the thought that these tragic events seldom happen in the modern era.
"On this Christmas Day, we cannot help but 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 to so many people's lives and livelihoods.
"We also think of the humanitarian organisations working tirelessly to bring vital relief.
"After all, the Gospels speak so vividly of conflict and teach the values with which we can overcome it. The example that Jesus gave us is timeless and universal.
"It is to enter the world of those who suffer, to make a difference to their lives and so bring hope where there is despair."
'A willingness to listen': Message to the Commonwealth
The monarch uses the Christmas Day address each year to deliver messages of hope and thanks to the 56 independent nations that make up the Commonwealth.
King Charles visited Australia and Samoa in October as part of a royal tour surrounding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia.
During his message, the king said that trip reminded him "constantly of the strength which institutions, as well as individuals, can draw from one another".
"Across the Commonwealth, we are held together by a willingness to listen to each other, to learn from one another and to find just how much we have in common," King Charles said in his broadcast.
"Because, through listening, we learn to respect our differences, to defeat prejudice, and to open up new possibilities."
King applauds UK communities that 'came together'
The UK was rocked this year by more than a dozen violent, anti-immigration demonstrations targeting hotels housing asylum seekers, community centres and mosques in towns and cities.
King Charles said in his address on Christmas Day that the response to those riots demonstrated a will of the British people to repair.
"I felt a deep sense of pride here in the United Kingdom when, in response to anger and lawlessness in several towns this summer, communities came together, not to repeat these behaviours but to repair," he said.
"To repair not just buildings, but relationships. And, most importantly, to repair trust; by listening and, through understanding, deciding how to act for the good of all.
"The message of the angels to the shepherds — that there should be peace on Earth — in fact echoes through all faiths and philosophies. It rings true to this day for people of goodwill across the world."
How did the royal family celebrate Christmas?
The king's broadcast came several hours after he waved to a large crowd of onlookers who traditionally gather to see the royal family attend Christmas Day services at a church on Sandringham, the royal estate that has served as a family retreat for generations.
The king walked with Queen Camilla as his eldest son, Prince William, Kate and their three children followed.
The king's daughter-in-law, who has slowly returned to public duties after completing chemotherapy, hugged a cancer patient after the service.
Two of Charles' siblings, Anne, the Princess Royal, and Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, were also in the procession.
Notably absent at St. Mary Magdalene Church was Prince Andrew.
The king's 64-year-old brother has retreated further into the shadows amid news that a Chinese businessman had been barred from the UK because of concerns he cultivated links with Andrew on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party.
Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has become a constant source of tabloid fodder because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including the late American financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Even after stepping back from public duties, Andrew has continued to appear at family events and his absence from Sandringham suggests a further retreat from the public eye.
The king has been under pressure to distance Andrew from the royal family to avoid further embarrassment to the monarchy.
ABC/AP
