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The King, pictured at the Fitzrovia Chapel Credit: Aaron Chown/PA Wire |
Monarch chooses ‘enchanting’ London location that reflects personal themes of healthcare and community
The annual speech from the monarch is traditionally recorded earlier in December and broadcast on television and radio at 3pm on Christmas Day in Britain. New Zealand is the first country in the Commonwealth to broadcast the message, at 6.06pm on RNZ National, and again at 6.50pm on TVNZ's Channel 1.
I’m sure many families in Tasman today have been up early with children hunting through presents and many elderly people up preparing for Christmas for their families. It has been a hard year in many ways and for many people. For those who are alone this Christmas I especially wish you a peaceful day, to everyone have a relaxing day and have a very Merry Christmas.
The monarch recorded his annual address to the Commonwealth at a former hospital chapel, marking the first time in 18 years that it has not been filmed at a royal residence.
The choice of location reflects his key themes of community and healthcare, it is understood.
The King will reflect on an extraordinary year that involved cancer diagnoses for both him and his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, focusing in particular on the incredible work of the healthcare profession.
The festive broadcast was filmed almost two weeks ago at the tiny Fitzrovia Chapel, which was built at the heart of the former Middlesex Hospital in Pearson Square, central London.
The choice of venue will be seen as an interesting one for a monarch deeply interested in religion who has also this year found himself facing his own personal health crisis. The King, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February following prostate surgery, continues to receive weekly treatment.
It was the monarch’s own decision to break with tradition by filming the message at an external location rather than at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.
He wanted to give the annual broadcast a fresher, more modern feel, demonstrating his long-held desire to “reach out into communities rather than bringing them into him”, a royal source said.
The Fitzrovia Chapel ticked all his boxes, whilst also happening to boast unique royal links. The King, who had not previously set foot in the church, was “absolutely enchanted” by its size, its “astonishing beauty” and its rich history, it was understood. He was delighted with the results.
The chapel, which features a golden mosaic ceiling over the nave, offering a space for both staff and patients to reflect and find solace. The gold leaf ceiling features 555 stars and more than 40 different types of marble. George VI, the King’s grandfather, laid the foundation stone when the hospital was rebuilt in 1928.
It was designed by John Loughborough Pearson, the award-winning architect behind buildings such as Truro Cathedral and Westminster Hall, as well as additions to St Margaret’s Church in the grounds of Westminster Abbey.
Its candlesticks, effigies, pews and altar cloths were all purchased with money raised by the medical community and it retains its original door, which was symbolically left ajar to allow people to visit day or night.
The first service held in the chapel was on Christmas Day 1891, with an official opening ceremony by the Bishop of London in June 1892. It quickly became a meeting point for groups of all faiths within the hospital community, as well as a wedding venue for both medical staff and patients.
The Middlesex Hospital was also where Diana, Princess of Wales opened London’s first dedicated Aids ward in 1983.
The living Christmas tree shown in the broadcast was decorated with sustainable decorations and later donated to Croydon BME Forum and Macmillan Cancer Support’s Can You C Me? project. It will be placed in the Royal Trinity Hospice, Clapham, the oldest hospice in the UK, of which the Queen has been patron since 2006.
On two occasions, the BBC broadcast from the chapel as part of a series of national hospital radio shows. Today, the building is used as a community space for exhibitions and other events, and is open to the public for those seeking a moment of solace.
“It is also a non-denominational chapel, which of course, is a key focus,” said the royal source. “Even though this is a Christmas address, His Majesty likes to reach out to those of all faiths and none.”
The Telegraph did know about the location of the recording since it was filmed but, at the request of the palace, agreed not to publish the details until a day ago.
The late Queen largely filmed her messages at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace or Sandringham, broadcasting to the Commonwealth every year of her reign apart from one.
In 1969, a written message was released instead because a repeat of the documentary made about the Royal Family was already scheduled for the holiday period. The first televised message was broadcast live in 1957.
Facts from the Telegraph London
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