Buckingham Palace reveals King Charles' Christmas message will focus on pilgrimage and faith

King Charles is stepping far beyond palace walls for this year’s Christmas message and into one of Britain’s most sacred spaces.

In a rare break from tradition, the King has recorded his 2025 Christmas broadcast inside Westminster Abbey, becoming only the second monarch to deliver the annual address from a location outside a royal residence.

Buckingham Palace confirmed the message will air on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, with filming taking place in the Abbey’s historic Lady Chapel.

Palace sources say the address centres on the idea of pilgrimage, a theme that reflects both spiritual reflection and personal journeys, a subject close to the King’s heart.

Westminster Abbey, long regarded as a place of pilgrimage in its own right, has witnessed coronations, royal weddings, funerals and moments that have shaped the nation for nearly a thousand years.

The Abbey attracts millions of visitors each year from around the world, many arriving not just as tourists but as pilgrims seeking meaning, faith and a connection to Britain’s shared history.

Previous Christmas messages have traditionally been recorded at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or Sandringham.

Behind the King’s image, a softly glowing Christmas trees shimmer throughout the chapel, the very same trees previously used at the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas carol service, held at the Abbey earlier this month.

This offers a gentle nod from father-in-law to her daughter-in-law.

True to the King’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, the festive decorations did not go to waste.

Several of the trees have since been repurposed or donated to charities, including The Passage homelessness organisation and the Oak Cancer Centre in Sutton.