King Charles III, who is being treated for cancer, has chosen a former hospital chapel as the setting for his Christmas address, breaking with the tradition of delivering it from a royal residence, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday.
The address will bring to a close a trying year for the British royal family, following the announcement of the King's cancer in February and Princess Kate's cancer in March. Pre-recorded at Fitzrovia Chapel in central London, it will be broadcast on Sky News at 4.00 p.m. Belgian time on Wednesday,
The Byzantine-inspired chapel was part of the former Middlesex Hospital and "served as a place of comfort, prayer and rest for staff and patients," according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. It is now a cultural space hosting concerts and exhibitions and is also open to visitors.
The King, aged 76, gradually resumed his public activities in April and is continuing his cancer treatment. The nature of his cancer has not been revealed.
His daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, announced in September that she was no longer undergoing chemotherapy.
The last time the traditional Christmas speech took place outside a royal residence was in 2006, when Charles' mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, delivered it at Southwark Cathedral in London.
In his last Christmas speech from Buckingham Palace, Charles III spoke of his environmental concerns and sent a message of peace.
