King Charles is going far beyond the palace walls for this year’s Christmas message and into one of Britain’s most sacred spaces.
In a rare break with tradition, the King recorded his 2025 Christmas broadcast inside Westminster Abbey, becoming the second monarch to deliver the annual address from a location outside a royal residence.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the message will be broadcast on Christmas Day, Thursday December 25, with filming taking place in the Abbey’s historic Lady Chapel.
Palace sources say the speech centers on the idea of ​​pilgrimage, a theme that reflects both spiritual reflection and personal journeys, a topic close to the King’s heart.
Long considered a pilgrimage site in its own right, Westminster Abbey has witnessed coronations, royal weddings, funerals and moments that have shaped the nation for almost a thousand years.
The Abbey attracts millions of visitors each year from around the world, many of whom arrive not just as tourists but as pilgrims in search of meaning, faith and a connection to Britain’s shared history.
Previous Christmas messages have traditionally been recorded at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or Sandringham.
Behind the image of the King, a soft glow of Christmas trees shines throughout the chapel, the same trees previously used in the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas carol service, held at the Abbey earlier this month.
This offers a gentle wink from the father-in-law to his daughter-in-law.
True to the King’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, the festive decorations did not go to waste.
Several of the trees have since been reused or donated to charities, including homeless charity The Passage and the Oak Cancer Center in Sutton.
