We’ve compiled our top festive finds from M&, S, Monsoon, and more to give you some inspiration for your Christmas work party outfits.
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Christmas work party outfits from M&S, Monsoon and more(Image: Mirror)
The party season is upon us now that December is officially approaching. Finding the ideal outfit (or outfits) for a work party can be challenging because Christmas events are popping up all over.
There is so much choice available this year, making it difficult to choose the one that appeals to you, regardless of whether you prefer full glitz or something more subtle.
Sequin tops, dresses, and skirts are all staple pieces that reappear each year, of course. However, feather-trimmed staples and velvet are the trends that are prevailing this year. From blazers to tops, maxi dresses to skirts, velvet is everywhere.
However, according to Google, the top searches include “sequin midi skirt” and “blazer playsuit”, making it clear to see that the classics are still most in demand.
To help you out with the best Christmas partywear, we’ve rounded up a few of our favourite buys from high street brands including M&S, Monsoon and more.
READ MORE: The £26 gold kitten heels from New Look go with any Christmas outfit, while the £800 Jimmy Choos pair is available for just $18.
A sequin midi skirt is perfect for a Christmas party. Dress the skirt down with a cozy knit and boots if your event is more informal. Or dress it up with a matching sequin top, cinched waist shirt, and heels.
We love the cute sequin floral details on this silver midi from Marks & Spencer. Additionally, the metallic silver colour appears a bit more classy than other coloured sequins.
Monsoon Feather Cuff Jacket and Trousers
Available for £110, and trousers for £99.
Feather cuffs are a popular addition to any party look this year, as we mentioned. And this feather trim co-ord from Monsoon is so opulent that we are obsessed with it.
This set is the ideal substitute if you still want to look glam and party-ready without all the sparklers and sequins.
Puff-sleeved Blouse in Phase Eight
Available for £129
You can’t go wrong with “jeans and a nice top,” which is in line with the more subdued looks. The ultimate “nice top” is this chocolate brown puff sleeve blouse from Phase Eight.
The rich chocolate color is in high demand for 2025, and paired cigarette pants will do the trick. You’re ready to party with some kitten heels and gold jewelry.
After dating for four years, Miley Cyrus’ representative confirmed the details of the custom engagement ring.
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Miley Cyrus and Maxx Morando are engaged(Image: BANG Showbiz)
Miley Cyrus has got engaged to Maxx Morando and admitted it has left her feeling “astounded”. The 33-year-old actress and the musician, 27, are set to tie the knot after four years together.
When the pair stepped out on the red carpet for Avatar: Fire and Ash’s Los Angeles premiere earlier this week, there was a lot of speculation about their engagement. The chart-topping superstar was spotted flashing a diamond encircling a chunky gold band during one of the glittery events.
Miley’s representative, Francesca Consulting, later confirmed that Jacquie Aiche, a designer, had created the stunning engagement ring in-house. Francesca provided additional information, revealing that Miley was sporting a “chunky” 14-karat yellow gold band.
READ MORE: Adam Thomas shocks fans with major announcement saying ‘I have to do what’s right for me’READ MORE: Freddy Brazier hits back at pregnant ex’s drug claims in scathing rebuke
Dan Morando, Maxx’s father, has already congratulated the happy couple on social media. Miley has now touched on the special moment briefly without giving away too much.
Speaking to PEOPLE, the former Hannah Montana star said: “The detail that I can share is that for us, our privacy and us kind of keeping it small has been something that I’ve been astounded that I’ve actually been able to have and being able to kind of have more choice.”
She continued, “I think it’s also being older and being more receptive to what I’m willing to share.”
Miley and Liam Hemsworth were previously married from 2018 to 2020, and the pop star has openly discussed how difficult it was to reconcile.
She stated on The Howard Stern Show that, “Sometimes, things get easier, and sometimes you miss people more than others.” Time kind of heals itself, but that was at a time when I experienced great strength. And then I stop doing it on occasion.
Miley acknowledged that the wildfire that claimed the former couple’s California home caused a pivotal moment in their relationship. She admitted, “Every song I had ever written was in that house, and I had so much, and it was all gone.”
I lost everything, even the photos my parents gave me and my scripts. And so I ran toward the fire in an effort to put that back together instead of saying, “Oh, nature kind of did something for me, it forced me to let go. Which is normal because many animals do this and pass away, such as deer who scurry into the forest.
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What could be purposeful about this, you ask? “You’re attracted to that heat and me being an intense person, and not wanting to sit with it, and not wanting to go. I just clung to the things that were still in that house, which were me and him. And I really do love him deeply and still do and will always do”.
Following their breakup, Liam and Liam are engaged once more. In September, it was revealed that he had asked Gabriella Brooks to marry him.
After his future wife Laura Woods tragically collapsed during a live TV broadcast, former Love Island star Adam Collard, who is engaged to former Love Island star Laura Woods, took to Instagram to update.
Leo, the son of Laura’s son Leo, was born in January of this year, and Adam, the other person, shared a message on X in which he wrote, “Laura is all right and with the right people.” I appreciate all of your kind messages.
On Tuesday night, Laura, 38, collapsed unexpectedly on television and was caught by football pundit Ian Wright. Before the England Women’s game against Ghana, the presenter quickly cut to an ad break at St Mary’s stadium in Southampton by falling forward in a shocking on-air moment.
The couple has engaged and is getting married (Instagram).
Katie Shanahan, a fellow presenter, intervened in the incident, explaining that Laura had been “taken ill” and that she was “in very good hands. I’m stepping in at late notice.”
And the mother-of-one’s fans online quickly expressed their gratitude. Hope Laura Woods is alright, one person wrote. Ian Wright and Anita Asante, thank you for catching her. Fair play to the substitute presenter who intervened, with some work.
Before meeting Laura, Adam, 30, had a vibrant love life, including stints on Love Island and Celebs Go Dating, where he met Lottie Moss for the first time.
Former lothario has since become a full-fledged member of his beloved family, starting out in October 2023 when he started dating Laura and declaring they were expecting baby Leo at the start of this year.
At the couple’s private location in Cornwall, Adam kneed down (INSTAGRAM).
After they dated in the Love Island villa in 2018, Adam’s first public romance was with Zara McDermott, who is now adored by One Direction star Louis Tomlinson. However, after meeting Laura, he admitted he knew she was The One.
Adam previously said: “The first time we met, I’ll hold my hands up,” “I did DM her first and got a reply but nothing ever happened.” Then, she criticized us for essentially leaving her on read.
It’s difficult to meet people, isn’t it? I’m from Newcastle, and eventually we met up, and then we went on a very covert date. “Obviously, what comes out in the press, comes out in the press, but it’s not always the full story.
Speaking to OK! Adam and Laura’s wedding was postponed from their original plans by one day, according to Adam’s announcement in August.
In September 2024, Adam’s sports presenter fiancee later revealed on Instagram that they “first fell in love” at the place where his sports presenter fiancee later revealed.
Leo, the couple’s son, is pictured with Laura.
He stated, “We’d started planning the wedding, but now we’ve moved house, we’re going to do it closer to our new location,” despite the fact that he had already done so this summer. Although it’s currently on the back burner, the wedding will be held in 2026.
But Adam laughed when he revealed that he believes their nine-year age gap may be related to Laura pushing the date back, and that he is in his 30s to do it.
He also admitted that becoming a father had completely altered his life: “I’ve got a purpose now, whereas for years I felt like I was in limbo,” Adam claims.
Leo was described as “100 miles an hour,” and the star continued, “He’s a handful but so funny and everything we’ve ever wanted.” Being a father is wonderful, but it’s also challenging. I wouldn’t try to overshadow that. However, it puts everything in perspective.
Contrary to Laura, I have few family members who I can relate to. At various points in my life, both my mother and father have vanished. However, I want to make up for it and strive to be Leo’s best self.
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Meghan shares the UK’s “sweet” tradition of pulling crackers and reveals she writes a love letter to the Duke of Sussex inside the Christmas special that was just released on Netflix.
Meghan urges people to try to make “every day” of December “special” as the year prepares to end, adding: “But don’t feel like you have to do it all”.
She suggests giving gift wrapping paper wax seals to make them stand out, and giving tree ornaments “find their light” as she shares holiday advice.
The Sussexes signed a new, watered-down, first look deal with the streaming giant in August after the first two critically acclaimed seasons of With Love, Meghan.
With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration aired on the same day the King and Queen are hosting the German state visit, and just hours after the Princess of Wales published a personal letter to guests attending her annual carol concert on Friday.
Kate describes how the holiday season “invites us to remember the power of reaching out to one another with generosity of heart.”
Harry and Meghan share a kiss in the show (Netflix)
Meghan, who has been living in isolation from her own father and has made numerous accusations against the royals since stepping down, claims she enjoys Christmas trees, advent calendars, and Yuletide wreaths because they allow you to “really encapsulate your family story, really feel the passage of time and the different chapters of your life through the ornaments.”
She wears matching red pyjamas with her friends, creates personalised handmade crackers, adds Princess Lili, Princess Lili’s four-year-old daughter, Princess Archie’s six-year-old daughter, a tiny toy burger and fries, and a “little love letter” to Harry, and then creates a handmade personalised cracker.
Meghan remarks: “Lili really likes trying to be a grown-up lady at the moment”.
She goes on to say that “My husband’s has a little love letter, a chocolate, a little hat,” and that she prefers to label the cracker “My Love” rather than “Harry.”
She refers to Archie as “He loves the color red, and I’m on to him while we’re doing burgers.”
(Getty Images)
Meghan also advises “trying really embrace and lean into making that month special as you’re wrapping up a year.”
But don’t feel forced to do it all, though. Just embrace the special touches that bring you joy. “
The duchess, who was engaged to Harry for her first royal Christmas, recalls learning about the “connected and sweet” custom of crossing arms to tie Christmases together at Sandringham in Norfolk in 2017.
As they prepare to make crackers, one of her guests, American restaurateur Will Guidara, remarks, “I live in the UK, it’s just a part of… Christmas holidays, for sure.”
” Typically, people cross arms and do it… yeah, so they sit around the table and they all pull at the same time. It actually feels very connected and sweet.
They would always have a joke or riddle that sounded almost fortune cookie-sized and something sweet, as I really began to know them.
The Christmas cracker was invented by London-based confectioner and baker Tom Smith in the 1840s and inspired by the French bon bon – a sugared almond wrapped in a twist of tissue paper.
The business is still in possession of the Royal Warrant for giving the King Christmas decorations and wrapping paper.
(Netflix)
The royals gather in Sandringham on Christmas Day each year, pulling crackers at the beginning of the meal.
The Sussexes joined the Windsors for Christmas in 2017 and 2018 but they spent 2019 in Canada before stepping down as senior working royals early in 2020 and moving to the US. Since then, they haven’t visited Sandringham.
The duchess, in contrast, defends the concept of advent calendars by putting tiny presents inside Archie and Lili’s named fabric pocket calendars, saying, “I wanted to do it for my own kids… All it’s really about is having a surprise and delight every day for 24 days until Christmas.”
And she also adds in handwritten notes – which she refers to as “little findings” – for her children, saying: “I’m writing: ‘ I love you because you are so kind ‘ and: ‘ I love you because you’re so brave'”.
The episode doesn’t feature Archie or Lili.
However, Harry makes his comeo in the kitchen as Meghan and visiting restaurateur Tom Colicchio prepare for dinner near the end of the second season of With Love, Meghan, but only briefly.
He greets the duchess with a kiss on the lips and says: “Hi guys. Gumbo smelt to me.
Meghan recalls how Doria Ragland, her mother, prepares her Thanksgiving casserole of chicken, sausage, shrimp, and spices on Christmas Eve and “always saves a little bit on the side” for Harry when there isn’t any fish in it.
Harry tucks into the spicy dish, before cheekily telling Meghan her version is not as good as her mother’s, and laughing as he waits for her shocked reaction.
“I can feel it piercing my head right now,” he said. It tastes delicious. I’m not so sure it’s as good as your mom’s, but it’s certainly close”, he says.
What does a mouth-tight Meghan say in response? Oh my goodness”! as she smiles, adding: “My mom will love you for that. What a wise statement to make for your mother-in-law, you know?
Harry also encounters a dish containing all of his dislikes.
Colicchio cooked his grandfather’s beet salad – a sentimental family dish the chef makes each Christmas Eve – made of beets, black olives, fennel, anchovies and pickled vegetables.
After Harry previously revealed that he “hates all those flavors,” the duke’s eyes widen and says, “Oh wow. That is similar to the “anti-salad”
He later adds: “Me and the salad, we’re having like this sort of eye-off. It amazes me how little of the world I don’t like is there. They are all contained within a single bowl. I don’t know what would happen to me”.
Meghan tells her husband, “Thank you for coming,” and she kisses him once more and places her arm around his neck.
In the final scene, Harry makes an appearance briefly dressed up in a zip-top jumper as Meghan welcomes the film crew to the theater for dinner in front of a crackling open fire and a festively decorated room to wrap up the filming. Meghan wore a one-shoulder emerald green silk Galvan gown during a photo shoot for Variety magazine in 2022.
In other parts of the episode, Meghan offers her advice on tree decorating, saying she strings the lights so the tree is “lit from within and on the border, right on the outside” – and “the same with ornaments, you want to find the placement for them where they’re gonna find their light”.
Meghan suggests folding “outwardly” rather than “inwardly” in a tip and trick for festive wrapping, and that is where.
She goes on to say, “The various ways you’re folding the paper make it really enjoyable.” If you fold it outwardly instead of inwardly, it creates a different world there”.
The duchess proceeds with the arrangement, saying, “A little bow right there could be incredibly darling.”
Meghan also reveals how much she enjoys adding a custom-made wax seal and how the wrapping paper’s color is “tone on tone” when matched.
“It’s the tiniest detail that suddenly feels elevated”, she says.
How on earth should a wine bottle be wrapped, Meghan adds? “Another anomaly for people at the holidays is…
She recommends using a scarf in a Japanese furoshiki way.
And she makes a rectangular cracker out of paper for wrapping tricky shapes such as cuddly toys.
The duchess also makes fun of food, saying, “Beets, beets, beets, beets.” “This feels like fondue,” and “Drop that beet.” You’ve never heard anyone say fon-don’t”.
Naomi Osaka, a tennis player, is among the guests who Meghan serves her “favorite go-to” crudite platter, this time made of green vegetables and warmed cider.
Meghan admits she is “painfully bad” at tennis, throwing, and catching, and then travels to the craft barn to decorate Santa cookie plates and mugs with pen and paint.
For a visit from her best friends Lindsay Jill Roth and Kelly Zajfen, Meghan wears red pyjamas, edged in white and embroidered with her name on the pocket, while she cooks and serves a festive brunch which the trio eat as they stand in the kitchen.
“I adore the custom of a Christmas morning brunch. The duchess says, “I do it every year with my family, and I’ve already gotten a little head start – something sweet or something savoury.”
As they later make Christmas wreaths, Roth tells Meghan: “I like how loose yours is. That appears fantastic.
Meghan responds, “Well, that’s just the beginning,” while Roth continues, “Yeah, but it’s fun.”
The episode, which begins with Meghan skipping through a Christmas tree farm, sees the duchess make gougeres with cacio e pepe – French cheese puffs made with cheese and black pepper – a festive cinnamon star, tiny quiches, and “Reindeer chow” – a sweet treat renamed from one of Meghan’s childhood recipes called “puppy chow” which mixes melted chocolate, butter, vanilla, peanut butter, two cups of powdered sugar and an unnamed cereal.
Meghan also emphasizes the value of making mistakes and not making them perfect, remarking, “I get so upset about everything being perfect that you lose the magic that even happens in the mistakes.”
And she mentions how she enjoys Christmas trees, saying, “There’s just something about it that, in one area of your house, you can really encapsulate your family story, really feel the passage of time and the different chapters of your life through the ornaments.”
With a Christmas special, Meghan returns to the streaming platform after being criticized on Netflix for her canceled show With Love. Here we look at some of the highlights of the episode.
Meghan Markle has returned to Netflix with another edition of her panned lifestyle show in time for Christmas – and it’s set to raise eyebrows again. With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration landed on the streaming platform this morning and shows the Duchess of Sussex create a range of festive-themed crafts and dishes – as well as give a sneak peek into her life in California with Prince Harry.
In fact, Harry makes what appearst to be his longest-ever appearance in any of the With Love, Meghan episodes, featuring for a whole two minutes near the end of the episode as she whips up a Christmas-themed salad with Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio.
READ MORE: Princess of Wales issues special message to the nation at ChristmasREAD MORE: Prince Harry reflects on ‘greatest privilege’ as he issues emotional Christmas statement
Meghan and Harry previously announced a new, less-than-as-new streaming service agreement with the streaming giant, in contrast to their reportedly 100 million (£74 million) contract five years ago. We look at some of the bombshell moments now that the hour-long Christmas special is underway.
Harry PDA and brutal joke
Harry makes an appearance at the episode’s conclusion as Top Chef judge Tom prepares festive dishes with Meghan. He describes how his family customs include serving a special salad made of beetroot, black olives, and fennel on Christmas Eve.
Meghan chuckles as she reveals they are all flavours she loves but rarely eats, as all of those foods are a turn-off for Harry. And Harry arrives in the kitchen to greet her with a kiss as they finish the dish, which also includes anchovies and pickled vegetables.
When she tell him what the salad contains, he says: “Oh wow, that’s like the anti-salad”. He is told, “everything he hates,” and she laughs and says it. And Harry says to his wife and the waiter, “You must have known I was coming.”
Meghan also cooks up gumbo, which she reveals has become a tradition for her mum Doria, to cook for the family on Christmas Eve. Before the fish goes on, Harry says, “This is my favorite,” and that he prefers it with the chicken and sausage.
He replies, “I can feel it puncturing through the top of my head right now,” as Meghan prepares gumbo for him without a bowl of fish.
He follows up: “It is delicious, I’m not so sure it’s as good as your mum’s, but it’s certainly close”. Which Meghan yells, “What?” as Harry giggles. Meghan says: “My mom will love you for that. What a lovely compliment you have on your mother-in-law. And Meghan kisses Harry again at the end of the scene before embracing him and saying “thank you for coming.”
Crafting ‘ cheat ‘ claim
Naomi Osaka, the four-time tennis Grand Slam champion, is invited to participate in Christmas crafting earlier in the episode. On Christmas Eve, they get to decorating plates for their children so they can leave treats and drinks on for Santa Claus and the reindeer.
As they attempt to decorate their plates, both women complain about how poorly they can draw. Before giving up, Meghan begins to attempt to draw holly because it appeared to be bats.
In the end, she decides to resort to her signature calligraphy, writing a message on the crockery. Meghan says to Meghan, “You’ve got to stick with what you know,” but Naomi notices. The tennis player teases her, though, by saying, “It kind of feels like cheating though.”
Christmas with the royals
Although her days in the Royal Family are well behind her, Meghan does draw on her experiences of spending the festive season in the UK.
She tells restaurateur Will Guidara they will create their own personalised Christmas crackers as they welcome him after spending two Christmases in Sandringham in 2017 and 2018.
Will inquires about the significance of crackers, who are more seasoned. And she continues, “I live in the UK, it’s undoubtedly a big part of the culture. Typically, people cross their arms and do it. They all pull simultaneously while they are seated around the table.
They would always have some sort of fortune cookie-sized joke or riddle, which I discovered when I first got to know them. And something sweet. “
She labels the personalized cracker as “My Love” rather than “Harry,” and adds, “My husband’s has a little love letter, a chocolate, a little hat.”
Lilibet and Archie’s “grown up” romantic partners
While making the crackers, Meghan decides she is going to make some for her children Archie and Lilibet, with personalised gifts inside as well as sweets and confetti.
She inserts a mini rollerball perfume into the cracker to make a gift for Lili and states, “Lilly really enjoys trying to be a grown-up lady at the moment. This is like a little lavender rollerball. So I pondered that a little bit.
While Archie’s cracker and a red car are a toy burger and reflect Meghan’s two passions, burgers and vibrant color are.
Earlier in the episode, Meghan explains the idea of advent calendars as she puts tiny gifts into Archie and Lili’s named fabric pocket calendars, saying:” I wanted to do it for my own kids… All it’s really about is having a surprise and delight every single day for 24 days until you get to Christmas. “
She also writes, “I love you because you are so kind,” and “I love you because you’re so brave,” in handwritten notes for her children, which she refers to as “little findings.” Lili and Archie are not in the episode.
Tree tips and wrapping hack
In other episodes of the show, Meghan offers her decorating advice, stating that you want to find the tree’s “lit from within and on the border, right on the outside” and that you want to find the spot where they’re going to find their light.
And in a segment named Tips and Tricks for Festive Wrapping, Meghan recommends folding “outwardly” rather “inwardly”. She explains: “One technique that’s really fun is just the different way in which you’re folding the paper. If you fold it outwardly instead of inwardly, it creates a different world there.”
The duchess speeds through the method, adding:” A little bow right there could be awfully darling. For a “tone on tone” look, Meghan also reveals how much she enjoys adding a pre-made wax seal and how the color matches the wrapping paper. The smallest detail suddenly seems higher, she claims.
Meghan adds:” Another anomaly for people at the holidays is: how on earth to wrap a wine bottle? She recommends using a scarf in a Japanese furoshiki way.
Additionally, she creates a rectangular cracker made of paper to encase challenging shapes like cuddly toys. The duchess also cracks a number of food-related jokes, saying:” Beets, beets, beets. Drop that beet, “and:” This resembles fondue. Nobody has ever said “fon-don’t” like it.
Brunch in pyjamas
Lindsay Roth and Kelly McKee Zajfen, Meghan’s pals, are the only guests in the Christmas special. The two women make unique Christmas wreaths together with the Duchess.
But beforehand, Meghan wants to make them a special Christmas brunch and agrees to appear on camera in a pair of bright red pyjamas with the letter M on the pocket.
She says to the camera, “Well, she’s wearing pyjamas gang,” as she prepares some quiches and a cinnamon bun that looks like a star. This is how much I love my friend. On a television program, why do I wear pyjamas?
“My dear friend Lindsay and I have been friends since we were 17 years old. Linds has a tradition with her family of always wearing matching pyjamas for the holidays So, for the love of Linds, they forced me to wear pyjamas for this brunch to honour her tradition”.
Not-so-perfect
The duchess makes gougeres with cacio e pepe, French cheese puffs made with black pepper and festive cinnamon, tiny quiches, and “Reindeer chow,” a sweet treat renamed after Meghan’s childhood favorite, which includes two cups of powdered sugar, two cups of powdered sugar, and an unnamed cereal.
Meghan also emphasizes the value of making mistakes and not making them perfect, remarking, “I get so upset about everything being perfect that you lose the magic that even happens in the mistakes.”
And she shares her love of Christmas trees, revealing: “There’s just something about it that, in one area in your house, you’re able to really encapsulate your family story, really feel the passage of time and the different chapters of your life through the ornaments”.
King Charles is getting ready for his fourth Christmas Day speech, which royal experts say will include a sincere plea for your condolences.
Mitya Underwood Senior Celebrity &, Royal Writer
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King Charles has faced a number of huge hurdles since becoming monarch(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
For nearly a century, the monarch’s festive message has been a Christmas Day tradition that is as essential today as roast turkey, mince pies and dodgy cracker jokes. Delivered on the big day at 3pm, the speech provides the sovereign with an opportunity to speak personally to the nation and Commonwealth, uniting millions of households for a few minutes of reflection.
“For many people, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without the monarch’s message”, says royal commentator Katie Nicholl. The late Queen has been resident in our living rooms for a long time, and now it’s the King. He clearly makes a lot of effort to capture the essence of the past year and reflect on those who have faced enormous difficulties.
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This Christmas, Charles will certainly have plenty of topics to discuss. “As well as highlighting the awful things happening in places like the Middle East and Ukraine, I’m sure he will talk about the importance of religious tolerance and understanding, and building community coherence in the UK,” says royal reporter Richard Palmer.
“Immigration is such a big issue, and though he won’t touch on politics, he may make a plea for peace and understanding in Britain and around the world.” Richard believes Charles will also pay tribute to the late Duchess of Kent, who passed away in September. “The monarch usually references those who’ve been lost to the family, and they were apparently all very fond of her.”
There are, of course, some positives to draw on too. “I think Charles will focus on the commemoration of the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day and the debt of gratitude we owe the wartime generation – especially as it won’t be long until there are no survivors left,” adds Richard. “And I’m sure he’ll mention the state visits of Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump, because the pomp and pageantry they brought have been real highlights of the royal year.”
Finding a balance between hope and hardship is undoubtedly challenging, despite the monarch’s broadcast’s typical 10-minute runtime. “It’s not easy because, of course, the monarch would want the speech to be filled with good cheer”, says Katie. Unfortunately, there will never be a year without disaster, loss of life, and difficulties for people. In a way that encourages public support, empathy, and gratitude for those working hard to improve things, such as emergency and healthcare workers, is necessary.
Last year, the King showed his appreciation for those who helped him and the Princess of Wales through their respective cancer ordeals. “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,” he said.
The 2024 recording was made at London’s Fitzrovia Chapel, which was once a hospital chapel, rather than Windsor Castle, as is customary. It was the first time in more than a decade that the speech was recorded outside a royal palace or estate, as Charles wanted a health-related location.
Even his choice of attire – a navy blazer, white shirt and blue patterned tie – was seen as a subtle nod to the NHS. In his speech, the King also drew attention to the plight of those suffering “the devastating effects of conflict – in the Middle East, in Central Europe, in Africa and elsewhere,” and he singled out humanitarian organisations “working tirelessly to bring vital relief.”
He added that we all need one another and that, “everyone experiences some form of suffering at some point in our lives, whether it be physical or mental. How much of our civilisation as nations is measured by how much we support one another and receive support from one another, whether we are people of faith or not.
The King’s first Christmas speech came from Windsor in 2022, when he focused on the loss of his late mother the Queen, who died that September. He said, “Christmas is a particularly heartfelt time for all of us who have lost loved ones.” We experience their absence at every cherished holiday season’s turning point and keep them in mind.”
Stepping into the shoes of his “darling Mama” would certainly have been a daunting prospect – especially as Elizabeth gave 68 Christmas broadcasts in all. She had become so skilled that she was even known as “one-take Windsor,” and, as Richard Richard puts it, “the queen frequently likened herself to playing the role of an actor or performer during her reign.”
The last of her speeches came in 2021 when she paid tribute to Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years. He died that April, and Elizabeth reflected lovingly on the “one familiar laugh missing this year.” She also told how his “mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.”
Although the royals have long had a reputation for being emotionally distant, the festive address allows them to be more candid. According to Katie, “the most memorable speeches have always been those with that extra personal touch,” just as she did when Elizabeth remembered Philip and Charles spoke about his and Kate’s cancer journey after such a challenging year. That is what people really seem to find to resonate with, ” “
In 2017, the Queen’s speech was highly emotional as she paid tribute to victims of the London and Manchester terror attacks, and the horrors of the Grenfell fire. In 2012, her speech was recorded in 3D for the first time, and another first came in 2006 when it was made available as a podcast. That year was particularly unusual as it was recorded at London’s Southwark Cathedral instead of a royal palace. Another year of note was 1997, when her broadcast was published on the internet for the first time. It came direct from the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, marking the end of extensive renovations following the devastating fire of 1992.
During that speech, the Queen expressed her “shock and sorrow” over the death of Princess Diana. Further back in time, her 1982 message was beamed out of Windsor Castle’s library for the first time, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the debut Christmas broadcast by her grandfather King George V.
That had taken place in 1932, upon the suggestion of the BBC ’s Director-General Sir John Reith. It was transmitted from Sandringham, and though only heard on the radio, still reached an audience of around 20 million across the world – an extraordinary feat which ensured it became an annual fixture in the royal diary.
In 1975, the Queen moved to the gardens of Buckingham Palace for her recording. And in 1967, the advent of colour TV meant her bright yellow dress could be seen in all its glory.
Elizabeth’s first televised speech in 1957, which was equally groundbreaking technologically, was ten years earlier. She said, “I sincerely hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more direct and personal.”
Her very first address came from Sandringham in December 1952, following the death of her father King George VI. She ostented the country in it, saying, “God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I will faithfully serve him and you throughout my life.”
There is no denying that she accomplished that throughout her remarkable 70-year reign.
