King Charles says ‘heartfelt thanks’ for cancer support in Christmas message | King Charles III

King Charles has used his Christmas address to thank doctors and nurses who have provided “strength, care and comfort” during his cancer treatment.

He also praised the diversity and the way communities in Britain withstood summer riots after the killing of three children in Southport.

Speaking from London’s Fritzrovia Chapel, a former hallowed space at the demolished Middlesex Hospital, the king expressed his heartfelt thanks to the medical teams who supported him and his family “through the uncertainty and anxiety of illness”.

His remarks come as the Princess of Wales gradually returns to public duties after completing a course of chemotherapy. Kate said in September that she was doing what she could to “stay cancer free”.

The king’s treatment for cancer is expected to continue in the new year, almost a year after it was announced that he was being treated for the disease. Further details of Kate’s and the King’s condition have not been revealed.

The monarch said in his speech: “I am also deeply grateful to all those who have given us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement.”

A significant part of the King’s Christmas speech focused on the response to the devastating aftermath of the fatal stabbings of three girls at a dance class in Southport on 29 July. He spoke of his pride at the way communities came together after the riots that followed.

Serious suffering erupted triggered by false information about the alleged identity of the attacker. The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, condemned the riots, in which mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers were targeted as “far-right thugs” at the time. The king was daily updated on the public disorder.

The violence only subsided after a series of peaceful counter-protests and a swift police and judicial crackdown on the rioters. The King said: “I felt a deep sense of pride here in the UK when, in response to anger and lawlessness in several cities this summer, communities came together, not to repeat this behaviour, but to repair.

“To repair not just buildings, but relationships. And, most importantly, to repair trust; by listening and through understanding, deciding how to act for the benefit of all.”

During the broadcast, footage was shown of the King speaking to emergency workers who responded to the fatal stabbings in Southport.

The riots sparked widespread alarm and a prediction by influential American billionaire Elon Musk on his X platform that “civil war is inevitable”.

The King and Queen Camilla visited Waltham Forest Town Hall in north-east London last week to celebrate the community cohesion shown by Walthamstow residents who took to the streets in August to hold one of the largest peaceful counter-protests.

Charles suggested in his speech that such community cohesion was also evident on his visit to the South Pacific, where he attended the Commonwealth summit in October. He said the tour was a reminder of “how diversity of culture, ethnicity and faith provides strength, not weakness”.

“Across the Commonwealth, we are held together by a willingness to listen to each other, to learn from each other and find out how much we have in common,” he said. “Because through listening we learn to respect our differences, to defeat prejudices and to open up new possibilities.”

The king also referred to the “devastating effects of conflict in the Middle East, in Central Europe, in Africa and elsewhere”, and praised “humanitarian organizations working tirelessly to bring vital relief”.

“The example that Jesus gave is timeless and universal. It is to enter the world of those who are suffering to make a difference to their lives and then bring hope where there is despair.”

The broadcast, produced this year by Sky News, ended with London-based youth choir Inner Voices singing the Christmas carol Once in Royal David’s City.

The King attended the traditional Christmas Day service at Sandringham with other royals, but not his brother Prince Andrew.

It was announced last week that the Duke of York would not attend the service due to controversy over his links with an alleged Chinese spy. He was reportedly preparing to spend Christmas Day with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, this year.

The King and Queen were joined at Sandringham Church by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six. Also at the church were the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.