A photo of the King has been released as he recorded his first-ever Christmas message, which is expected to pay tribute to the Queen.
The message, which was recorded on 13 December and will be broadcast on Christmas Day, was poignantly filmed inside St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, where the Queen was laid to rest.
In a nod to his long-held commitment to the environment, the King is pictured standing in front of a large Christmas tree, decorated with pine cones and sustainable ornaments made of paper and glass.
It is a change of scene from the messages recorded by the Queen, where she would traditionally be seated and surrounded by photos of her family.
No photos for the King this year, but there are floral arrangements in the background using English foliage of holly, ivy, and red skimmia.
Buckingham Palace confirmed this year’s Christmas carol and the National Anthem will be performed by the choir of St George’s Chapel.
The monarch’s Christmas broadcast is a long-standing tradition and is shown across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
It is another significant milestone for the King.
The royal’s first Christmas without the Queen
He is currently staying at Sandringham, his Norfolk estate, where he will be joined by members of the Royal Family to celebrate Christmas.
It is the first time the family has gathered here since 2019, and of course, their first Christmas without the Queen.
As is their tradition, members of the family will accompany the King and Queen Consort to church on Christmas morning.
Royal fans are expected to arrive early to watch their arrival.
It’s not yet known who will attend but it’s thought Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, will be staying on the estate.
The last few months have seen tumultuous change for the Royal Family following the death of the Queen.
It has been a challenging time for the King, facing the fallout from Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary, as well as accusations of racism within inner royal circles.
He will hope his Christmas broadcast will send a positive message, as he plans his coronation next Spring.
The Queen’s last Christmas address
Image: The Queen records her last annual Christmas address in the White Drawing Room in Windsor Castle, 2021
Should he choose to focus on the loss of his mother, it would be a somber reflection of the Queen’s last Christmas Day address.
In 2021, the late Queen reflected on a year of personal grief in a moving Christmas Day message, saying there was “one familiar laugh missing” as she acknowledged the death of her husband amid the continuing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sat behind a desk adorned with a solitary photograph of the Queen and the duke in 2007 to mark their 60th wedding anniversary, the monarch said: “Although it’s a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones.
“This year, especially, I understand why.”
Following the recording of the King’s festive address, the Christmas tree was re-used by St George’s Chapel in the Dean’s Cloister for visitors to enjoy.
The broadcast was produced by BBC Studios Events, ahead of ITV whose turn it was to record the King’s first festive address under a rotating producer system between the BBC, ITV and Sky News.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the decision was taken as the BBC had “experience of shooting in St George’s Chapel this year”.
A man accused of driving into crowds at Liverpool FC’s title parade faces 24 new charges.
More than 130 people, including children, were injured when Paul Doyle allegedly drove his Ford Galaxy vehicle into hordes of fans at the celebrations on 26 May.
The 53-year-old, of Croxteth, Liverpool, was originally charged with two counts of wounding with intent, two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, and one count of dangerous driving.
Six of the new alleged offences relate to babies, including one six-month-old and one seven-month-old, proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday.
The new indictment, which was not read out in court, now has 31 counts relating to 29 victims, aged between six months and 77 years old.
Doyle now faces 18 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of wounding with intent, one count of dangerous driving and one count of affray.
He appeared in court via video link from prison and was in tears.
Travellers are being warned about mosquito bites on holiday after a rise in chikungunya infections in people returning to the UK.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also said the first cases of the emerging oropouche virus had been recorded.
Chikungunya typically causes sudden fever and joint pain, which can be debilitating, and lasts from a few days to weeks.
The name comes from a word in a Tanzanian language meaning “that which bends up”, owing to the joint pain associated with it.
Most people recover but in some cases the symptoms can last several months or even years.
It’s spread by mosquito bites in tropical and subtropical regions, and most of the 73 cases reported in the UK so far this year were in London and linked to travel to Sri Lanka, India, and Mauritius.
Only 27 cases were reported in the same January to June period last year.
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Chikungunya can’t spread directly from person to person – so if someone becomes ill in the UK, they can’t pass the infection on, and the mosquitos responsible aren’t present here.
Dr Philip Veal, consultant in public health at the UKHSA, said it can be a “nasty disease” and the increase in cases was “worrying”.
“It is essential to take precautions against mosquito bites when travelling,” he said.
A man staying at a hotel that has been the focus of a series of protests has denied a charge of sexual assault and faces a trial next month.
Mohammed Sharwarq, a 32-year-old Syrian national, was arrested after police were called to the Bell Hotel on the Epping High Road in Essex yesterday, police said.
Sharwarq, who is alleged to have kissed a man on the neck, indicated a plea of not guilty to a charge of sexual assault at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court today.
He indicated guilty pleas to six further charges concerning four complainants – with two counts of common assault and four of assault by beating.
Sharwarq is alleged to have punched a man in the face, thrown an object at a man, slapped a third man in the face and attempted to punch a fourth.
Sky News understands the alleged offences took place inside the hotel between 25 July and 12 August.