King Charles Reflects on Family's Health Struggles and 'Uncertainties and Anxieties of Illness' in Emotional Christmas Speech

2024 was a tumultuous year for the royal family amid the dual cancer diagnoses of the King and the Princess of Wales

King Charles reflected on the royal family's challenging 2024 in his annual Christmas speech, following a year in which both he and his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton were diagnosed with cancer.

On Wednesday, Dec. 25, King Charles delivered his annual Christmas address, continuing the longstanding tradition with a significant change in setting. For the first time in 18 years, the monarch's speech was filmed outside of a royal residence, choosing instead to record it at Fitzrovia Chapel, the former chapel of Middlesex Hospital in London. The chapel's poignant history added a personal touch to the broadcast.

"I am speaking to you today from the Chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital in London – now itself a vibrant Community space – and thinking especially of the many thousands of professionals and volunteers here in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth who, with their skills and out of the goodness of their heart, care for others - often at some cost to themselves," the King said.

"From a personal point of view, I offer special, heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who, this year, have supported me and other members of my family through the uncertainties and anxieties of illness, and have helped provide the strength, care and comfort we have needed. I am deeply grateful, too, to all those who have offered us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement."

The King's Christmas speech, which was broadcast following the royal family's annual walk to church in Sandringham, comes at the close of what Prince William described as "brutal" year, with both his father, Charles, and wife, Kate, facing cancer diagnoses.

King Charles' treatment is ongoing and will continue into the new year. According to palace sources, "His treatment has been moving in a positive direction and as a managed condition the treatment cycle will continue into next year."

Meanwhile, Princess Kate, 42, is slowly resuming royal duties after revealing in March that she was undergoing chemotherapy. In September, she shared an update that she completed chemo. 

Elsewhere in the speech, Charles shared his thoughts on the importance of compassion and community amid difficult times.

"All of us go through some form of suffering at some stage in our life, be it mental or physical," he said. "The degree to which we help one another – and draw support from each other, be we people of Faith or of none - is a measure of our civilization as Nations. This is what continually impresses me, as my family and I meet with, and listen to, those who dedicate their lives to helping others."

He also reflected on ongoing global conflicts, expressing empathy for those enduring the effects of war and violence, saying, "On this Christmas Day, we cannot help but think of those for whom the devastating effects of conflict - in the Middle East, in Central Europe, in Africa and elsewhere - pose a daily threat to so many people’s lives and livelihoods.

"We also think of the humanitarian organizations working tirelessly to bring vital relief. After all, the Gospels speak so vividly of conflict and teach the values with which we can overcome it. The example that Jesus gave us is timeless and universal. It is to enter the world of those who suffer, to make a difference to their lives and so bring hope where there is despair."

In reference to the violent riots that shook the U.K. earlier this year, as well as the mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance class in Southport, England, which claimed the lives of three children, he said: "I felt a deep sense of pride here in the United Kingdom when, in response to anger and lawlessness in several towns this summer, communities came together, not to repeat these behaviors 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 good of all."

In closing, the King remarked: "The message of the angels to the shepherds - that there should be peace on Earth - in fact echoes through all faiths and philosophies. It rings true to this day for people of goodwill across the world. And so it is with this in mind that I wish you, and all those you love, a most joyful and peaceful Christmas."

In a further nod to charity, the festive Christmas tree that appeared behind the King in the address was adorned with sustainable decorations and was later donated to the Croydon BME Forum and Macmillan Cancer Support's "Can You C Me?" project, where it will be displayed at the Royal Trinity Hospice in Clapham. Queen Camilla has supported the hospice as its patron since 2006, and the King is a longtime patron of Macmillan Cancer Support, having visited the Macmillan Cancer Centre earlier this year for his first royal engagement following his cancer diagnosis.

In his first Christmas speech — delivered on Dec. 25, 2022 — the King paid tribute to his beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth, who died three months prior and who was so closely associated with the yearly tradition.

His first address was poignantly filmed at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where Queen Elizabeth and her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, are buried.

Related: How King Charles Remembered Queen Elizabeth in His First Christmas Speech

The King’s speech was a break from tradition, as Queen Elizabeth typically filmed her speech at Buckingham Palace, seated at a desk and surrounded by framed photos of royal family members. Of his first speech, a former palace staffer told PEOPLE at the time, “This first year, he will feel the pressure to get it right. Every nuance will be picked over.”

The King, 76, broke tradition again in his second Christmas speech, delivered on Dec. 25, 2023. For that speech, Charles stood beside a living tree for the very first time, a nod to his ongoing environmental efforts. This time, the message was delivered from Buckingham Palace.

Related: King Charles Continues Royal Tradition with His Second Christmas Speech — Here's What He Said

The annual Christmas speech is a yearly staple for those in the U.K. (and royal fans around the world!) to gather around the TV to watch the address, which, while first televised in 1957, was first delivered by King George V in 1932. That said, the annual broadcast didn’t take place in 1936 after King Edward VIII’s abdication, nor in 1938 (when King George VI didn’t give an address) or 1969 (when Queen Elizabeth shared a written message instead after feeling there had been enough television appearances for one year following Prince Charles’ investiture as Prince of Wales and the documentary Royal Family that aired that year).

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In what would become her final Christmas message — delivered on Dec. 25, 2021 — Queen Elizabeth mourned the death of her husband, Prince Philip, the April prior.

"Although it's a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. This year, especially, I understand why," she said in her speech.

"But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world," the Queen continued. "His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation – were all irrepressible. That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.”

"But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas," she said. By the next Christmas, the two would be reunited.

A former palace staffer previously said of Queen Elizabeth’s many Christmas addresses that "She was a one-take wonder — she was extraordinary.”