A Royal expert reckons King Charles smartly dodged the intense scrutiny over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle by opting to record this year's Christmas speech away from Buckingham Palace. For the first time in years, the revered Christmas address was delivered from Fitzrovia Chapel, London, breaking tradition with the usual Royal backdrops.
Author Robert Hardman suggests the fresh location might just spare the monarch from the fierce dissection of pictures seen in prior speeches. Royal commentators are known to pick apart the displayed portraits, often sparking debates when Harry and Meghan's photos don't make the cut.
Queen Elizabeth II's use of a "gold" piano sparked backlash online as she spoke of "generosity and sacrifice". The instrument had been gilded in the 19th century by Queen Victoria.
Critics didn't miss a beat criticising the opulent setting, underscored by that piano decked out in gold by Victoria herself, as highlighted by the Daily Record. And the selection of family photos in these speeches has always stirred up a buzz.
Hardman, writing for the Daily Mail, recalled: "There can also be some advantages in moving the recording away from home. In 2018, the Queen came under attack on social media for asking for 'generosity and self-sacrifice' during an address recorded from the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.
"Anti-monarchists grumbled that she was speaking in front of a 'gold piano', a gilded 19th-century piece commissioned for Queen Victoria.
"By avoiding a royal desk or sitting room, the King has also avoided any micro -analysis of whichever royal photographs and portraits are in shot, and thus hinting at who is (or is not) in royal favour. The Fitzrovia Chapel reveals nothing more tantalising than a Christmas tree decorated with 'sustainable' decorations."
The King's relationship with his youngest son has reportedly been strained since Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals and relocated from the UK. According to Express.co.uk, the King is said to be concerned that Harry might use their conversations against him in his ongoing legal battle with the Home Office.
The King was also reportedly infuriated when Harry referred to Queen Camilla as "the Other Woman" and a "wicked stepmother" in his 2023 memoir Spare. An insider told The Mirror: "It was the last straw."
"Harry was well aware how Camilla would be a red line for his father and he crossed with flagrant disregard anyway. The King felt without a doubt it crossed a line – it was the ultimate act of disrespect."