King Charles gathers with royal family, gives Christmas address urging people to care for each other and the Earth

Britain's King Charles III spoke of the importance of human kindness and urged people to care for one another and our planet in his annual Christmas address. He and other members of the royal family gathered at their estate in Sandringham for their traditional holiday celebration.

It was Charles' second Christmas message since he became king following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in September 2022, and the first since his coronation ceremony in May.

In remarks filmed at Buckingham Palace earlier this month and broadcast Monday across the U.K. and Commonwealth nations, he spoke of remembering "those who are no longer with us," and praised "those whose work of caring for others continues, even on this special day." 

"Over this past year my heart has been warmed by countless examples of the imaginative ways in which people are caring for one another — going the extra mile to help those around them simply because they know it is the right thing to do," he said.

He did not mention other members of the royal family by name, but made one point on behalf of himself and his wife, Queen Camilla, saying they were delighted that members of a "selfless army" of community volunteers were able to join them at Westminster Abbey for the coronation.

Service, he said, "lies at the heart of the Christmas story," and is a value "all the more important at a time of real hardship for many, when we need to build on existing ways to support others less fortunate than ourselves."

In addition to serving one other, Charles, a longtime environmentalist, said humanity is called upon to care for all of Creation. 

"We care for the Earth for the sake of our children's children," he said. "During my lifetime I have been so pleased to see a growing awareness of how we must protect the Earth and our natural world as the one home which we all share."

Royal family's Christmas in photos

Charles, Camilla and others in the royal family attended services Christmas morning at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, the estate in Norfolk where they traditionally spend the holiday.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, walked right behind Charles and Camilla and greeted well-wishers who lined the path. The king's younger son, Harry, and wife Megan, who now live in California, were not present.

Prince Andrew made an appearance with the royal family despite the scandal surrounding his association with Jeffrey Epstein and the legal settlement he reached over allegations of sex abuse last year. 

His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, also joined the family for the walk to church this Christmas — her first time doing so in over 30 years, BBC News reported. She was treated for breast cancer earlier this year. 

Andrew and Sarah's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and their husbands attended as well. See more photos from the royal family's Christmas below.

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Paula Cohen is the senior managing editor of CBSNews.com, where she oversees coverage of breaking news and stories on a wide range of topics from across the U.S. and around the world.