In his first Christmas message as king, King Charles honours his late mother the Queen and wishes eveyone a christmas of "Peace, happiness and ever lasting light". Video / The Royal Family
The Prince and Princess of Wales have released an artwork painted by their eldest son, Prince George, to celebrate Christmas in the United Kingdom.
“Happy Christmas!” William and Catherine said in a social media post sharing the painting of a reindeer. Those following Kensington Palace’s Twitter account were complimentary, praising the “beautiful” image.
Nine-year-old George is second in line for the British throne behind his father. He spent Christmas Day with other members of the royal family in Norfolk, where King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted a lunch at Sandringham House.
It comes after William, Catherine and their children appeared together for a Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey, which aired on Britain’s ITV channel and was dedicated to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The Princess of Wales opened the service by paying tribute to the Queen’s “incredible legacy” and thanking her for “bringing us together” in a touching video message.
“This Christmas will be our first without Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth,” she said.
Prince George with his siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis leave the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk today. Photo / AP
“Her Majesty held Christmas close to her heart as a time that brought people together and reminded us of the importance of faith, friendship and family, and to show empathy and compassion.
“This year, we’ve invited hundreds of inspiring individuals to the (carol) service. Those who showcase the power of connectedness and community values, allowing us to continue Her Majesty’s tradition of recognising and thanking those who have gone above and beyond to support others.
“Her Majesty leaves with us an incredible legacy and one that has deeply inspired many.”
George’s sister, Princess Charlotte, was said to have “stolen the show” with a cute moment. Her face lit up as she heard a reference to Paddington Bear, delighting viewers.
While Charles hosts his first Christmas as King, the British press continues to highlight the gaping division in his family, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex thousands of kilometres away in the United States.
Harry and Meghan are expected to remain in California with their children Archie and Lilibet. Their explosive Netflix documentary, which levelled several allegations against the monarchy and the British media, is still fresh in people’s minds.
“I’m sure Catherine and William will be there by the King and Queen’s side for part of the holiday,” royal biographer Angela Levin told The Sun.
“Harry and Meghan aren’t coming, which I think will be a huge relief for the rest of the family. The family will want to make it a very positive day after the Queen’s death and I think the Sussexes’ presence would most certainly dampen that.”
Another royal expert, Richard Fitzsimmons, said the timing of the Netflix series was “particularly unkind”, even if Harry and Meghan “themselves didn’t choose it”.
“The royal family will be grieving over Christmas,” he said.
“The Queen will be the centre of the message. There’s energy difficulties, strikes, economic turbulence. And normally the royal family would be able to rise above that.”
