King Charles 'feeling the pressure' to deliver Christmas speech as good as mum

King Charles III has big shoes to fill in this Christmas.

The new monarch is preparing his festive speech to be delivered this week and understands the pressure amid first holiday season after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

"This first year, he will feel the pressure to get it right. Every nuance will be picked over," a former palace staffer tells PEOPLE.

The King "has huge empathy" for everybody who has lost a loved one.

"We are so used to seeing the iconic footage of the Queen leading her family to church on Christmas morning," says the staffer. "This year there will be a great deal of reflection and sorrow."