KING Charles III will pay a touching tribute to the late Queen during his first Christmas message to the nation which was filmed in her final resting place.
An image of Charles, taken during the recording of his inaugural festive address, has been released ahead of the broadcast being screened on Christmas Day.
The monarch is pictured standing while delivering his speech. Although in recent years the Queen recorded her Christmas broadcast sat at a desk, she had also stood in the past, before she became too frail.
The festive message was recorded on December 13 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where the committal service for the late Queen was held less than three months earlier.
It was just September 19 when a private burial took place for Her Late Majesty in The King George VI Memorial Chapel, which lies below St George's Chapel. The Queen was buried together with The Duke of Edinburgh, King Charles' late father.
King Charles standing guard over his mother's coffin during her lying in state in September
Jane Barlow
In June, at a televised speech celebrating his mother's platinum jubilee, the then Prince Charles began “Your Majesty”, before pausing and adding, “Mummy” in a deeply personal moment that delighted millions of royal fans.
Charles then spoke movingly about his “beloved mother”, who reigned for 70 years, in his first broadcast as King screened the day after her death on September 8.
In that address he said: “We owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.”
The King’s Christmas message was recorded in the quire of St George’s Chapel, where the royal family sat during the Queen’s committal service, and during the broadcast the choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor performs the National Anthem and sings a carol.
In the background is a large Christmas tree decorated with ornaments made from sustainable materials including paper and glass as well as natural products like pine cones.
As the Prince of Wales, the King regularly voiced concerns about the threat to the environment and worked to bring governments, and the private and public sector together to find solutions to the climate change crisis.
The picture also shows foliage decorations that have been placed among the stalls in the quire, that feature holly, berried ivy and red skimmia.
King Charles with his beloved 'mummy' during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June
Aaron Chown
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.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the decision was taken as the BBC had “experience of shooting in St George’s Chapel this year”.
