Royal Family at Sandringham live: Charles delivers Christmas message after joining Kate and William at Sandringham

The Archbishop of Canterbury used his Christmas Day sermon to highlight the plight of children caught up in anti-Semitism and the Israel-Hamas war in England.

Referring to the birthplace of Jesus Christ in what is now the Israeli-occupied West Bank, he said, “The sky of Bethlehem is full of fear rather than angels and glory.”

He compared the turbulent circumstances of Jesus' birth to the modern-day plight of children in troubled areas.

The 2023 King's Speech, along with King Charles III's Christmas message, focused on paying tribute to “selfless” community volunteers and urging the public to protect the environment.

His Majesty also referred to conflicts around the world, saying he prayed that “we can do everything we can to protect each other”.

The live tree seen in today's broadcast will be replanted after the broadcast in a nod to the King's environmental interests.

Here is the full text of the King's Christmas broadcast:

In September 2022, Charles' second festive address of his reign – after the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II – was delivered standing in the Great Hall of Buckingham Palace.

The King praised the “selfless army” of volunteers serving communities across the country, describing them as the “vital backbone of our society”. The presence of social dignitaries among his coronation guests emphasized the meaning of the ceremony – “a call to all to serve one another”.

King delivered a powerful message about the environment in his annual Christmas broadcast.

Charles said: “Service is also at the heart of the Christmas story – the birth of Jesus, who came to serve the world, shows us by his own example how to love our neighbor as ourselves.

“Throughout this year, my family has seen how people of all ages are making a difference in their communities. This is especially important at a time of real hardship for many, and we need to create ways to support those less fortunate than ourselves.

“For we are greatly blessed with God's bounty, and it is incumbent upon us to use it wisely.

“However, service to others is a way of honoring the entire creation, an expression of the divine. This is the belief of all religions.

“Maintenance of this creation belongs to all religions and belongs to no one. We care for the earth for our children's children.

“In my lifetime, I have been thrilled to see a growing awareness of how to protect the Earth and our natural world as the one home we all share.

“I now find great inspiration in the way many people recognize this – as in the Christmas story, which tells us that the angels first brought the message of faith to the shepherds. These people lived simply among God's other creatures. Those close to nature were blessed that night.

In his annual Christmas broadcast, King called on people to “protect each other” as he said the world was living in a time of increasingly tragic conflict.

Charles said: “At a time of increasingly tragic conflict around the world, I pray that we do all we can to protect one another. Jesus' words seem more relevant than ever: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'

“Such values ​​are universal, binding together our Abrahamic religions and other faith systems across the Commonwealth and the wider world. They remind us to imagine ourselves in the shoes of our neighbors and seek their good as if we were our own.

“So on this Christmas Day, let my heart and gratitude go out to all who serve one another; All who care for our common home; And all who see and seek the good of others, at least we are not yet unknown friends. In this way, we bring out the best in us.

“Wishing you a Christmas of 'Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All', today and always.

King has praised the “selfless army” of volunteers who serve communities across the country, describing them as the “vital backbone of our society” in his Christmas broadcast.

Charles said: “Many of the world's major religious festivals are celebrated with special food. An opportunity for family and friends to come together across generations; The act of sharing food adds harmony and togetherness.

“Some people have faith first in their hearts. For others, it's a pleasure of fellowship and gift-giving. Even on this special day, it is a time to remember those who are no longer with us and think about those who continue to care for others.

“This care and compassion we show to others is one of the themes of the Christmas story, especially Mary and Joseph who were sheltered in their time of need by strangers as they waited for Jesus to be born.

“Over the past year, my heart has been warmed by countless inspiring examples of people caring for one another—going the extra mile to help those around them because they know it's the right thing to do: at work and at home; within and across communities.

“My wife and I were delighted that hundreds of representatives of that army of selfless people – volunteers who serve their communities in so many ways and so many different ways – joined us at the Coronation in Westminster Abbey earlier this year.

“They are the essential backbone of our society. Their presence was very meaningful to both of us and emphasized the meaning of the coronation: above all, a call to all to serve one another; Love and care for everyone.”

On Monday, December 25, watch King Charles III's annual royal speech live.

Her Majesty delivers the second Christmas message of her reign from a Buckingham Palace room decorated with a live Christmas tree.

The king will soon deliver his Christmas message.

Charles' second festive broadcast will be broadcast at 3pm and will be recorded in the Central Room at Buckingham Palace, which leads onto the royal residence's iconic balcony.

The room is decorated with a living Christmas tree, which will be replanted after the broadcast. From its branches hang natural and sustainable decorations including hand-turned wood, dried oranges, glass baubles, pine cones and paper.

King is set to deliver a powerful message about the environment to millions of viewers in his second Christmas broadcast of his reign.

To try to highlight this, he will speak from a Buckingham Palace room decorated with a live Christmas tree, the first time a live tree has been used as part of his backdrop.