King Charles’ Christmas address featured a host of Royal Family members with two reportedly taking a more prominent role than in previous years
King Charles’ Christmas message showed a “carefully calibrated, enhanced role” for two royals(Image: PA)
King Charles’ Christmas message is said to have shown a “carefully calibrated, enhanced role” for two members of the Royal Family. The monarch spoke about the “pilgrimage” of life during his annual speech, which was filmed at Westminster Abbey.
The 77-year-old spoke of the wise men from the Christmas story who faced a “physical and mental challenge” while finding “inner strength” during their mission. The broadcast featured images of a number of royals, including Queen Camilla, the Princess Royal, and the Duchess of Edinburgh.
But according to royal biographer Robert Hardman, it was the prevalence of Prince George and Princess Charlotte that stood out. Prince William and Princess Kate’s eldest children are said to have stepped up their position in The Firm in recent months.
Hardman says Sophie Wessex appeared in the broadcast “as often as the Princess of Wales”, although he recognised Kate has had to “juggle” her family life, professional life, and her own cancer battle.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Hardman said: “It was a nod from the King to the importance of the Edinburghs to the small, core royal unit, alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales, the indefatigable Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte are said to have stepped-up their roles in the Royal Family(Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS)
“It was also good to see a carefully calibrated, enhanced role for both Prince George and Princess Charlotte.”
In November George made his first appearance at the Festival of Remembrance, stood alongside his mother. William missed the event as he was travelling home from COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil.
Royal commentator Katie Nicholl says the Prince and Princess of Wales were keen for the 12-year-old to attend in order to prepare for “the role that lies ahead”. As king, George will one day be head of the Armed Forces.
An insider told Nicholl: “It is all part of a carefully considered plan to bring George onto the public stage in a way that the family is comfortable with.”
They added: “As second in line to the throne, George needs to understand the importance of occasions like this. It was deemed appropriate and significant for him to be there, particularly in his father’s absence. Both William and Catherine felt this was the right moment for George to be there.”
The Princess of Wales and Prince George at the Festival of Remembrance(Image: Getty Images)
Majesty Magazine editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward recently described George as a “very impressive young man”, while suggesting that his “anxious” father is keen to take a different approach to his upbringing.
Speaking to The Telegraph, she said: “He is a very impressive young man, but I think William is anxious to bring him up differently to how he himself was brought up after his mother died.
“He is very conscious of not wanting George to be seen as an elitist kid; he just wants him to be as ordinary as he can be. I remember [the Princess of Wales] once saying that they always discuss these appearances with George, that he is never pushed.
“William is doing what he can to get him to look at the world in a certain way, but you can see how good George was with those old soldiers — he wants to do all these things. And William is happy for him to have a taste of it, but not the full meal.”