King Charles urges 'digital detox,' reconciliation in Christmas speech after year of royal drama

All King Charles III seems to want for Christmas, after all the turmoil he’s endured this year, is a "digital detox."

After the British royal family stepped out for its annual Christmas Day church outing, it gathered around the television to watch the monarch’s Christmas broadcast.

The speech was filmed earlier this month inside the Lady Chapel of Westminster Abbey in London, People magazine reported.

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The first royal Christmas speech was delivered by King George V in 1932.

Charles described how "our world seems to spin even faster," arguing that this makes it more important than ever to slow down, get to know our neighbors and make new friends. He noted that taking that pause can quiet our minds and give us "the still point of the turning world," borrowing a phrase from T.S. Eliot.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson later clarified that Charles was hinting at taking a "digital detox."

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"When His Majesty references that lovely phrase about the ‘still point in the turning world’ at a time when, as he puts it, it’s ‘spinning ever faster,’ he has in mind the effect that new technologies can have on society and how they can impact both community cohesion and general well-being, especially for younger people," the rep told the Daily Mail.

"I think His Majesty hopes that, if nothing else, Christmas might afford a moment when people could experiment with something of a ‘digital detox’ to focus more on our friendships, our families and our faith, for those who practice," the rep shared.

"In this way, the king hopes our minds may find greater peace, our souls can renew and our communities grow stronger."

For the king, shutting out the relentless media scrutiny surrounding certain family members could offer a measure of long-sought peace of mind.

Charles also spoke candidly about "reconciliation" as his family continues to navigate the challenges and upheavals of the past year.

On Oct. 30, Charles stripped his disgraced brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, of his prince title amid growing scrutiny surrounding the ex-royal’s ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The 65-year-old and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, have until Jan. 31 to vacate Royal Lodge, their 30-room mansion.

There is also the strained relationship the king has with his younger son, Prince Harry.

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The Duke of Sussex and his wife stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing the unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace.

After moving to California, they aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, "Spare," which laid bare embarrassing details about the House of Windsor, worsened his relationship with the royals.

In September, Harry, 41, reunited with his father for the first time in 18 months. Their meeting reportedly lasted a little under an hour. People magazine reported a rift remains between the duke and the royals. Sources close to the prince previously told the outlet Charles wouldn’t answer his letters or phone calls.

People reported the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn’t appear to be invited to the family’s Christmas gathering. Instead, they spent the holiday in Montecito with their two young children.

"It seems to me that we need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation, the way our Lord lived and died," the king said.

"This year, I’ve heard so many examples of this, both here and abroad. These stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope for our venerable military veterans, to selfless humanitarian workers in this century’s most dangerous conflict zones, to the ways in which individuals and communities display spontaneous bravery, instinctively placing themselves in harm’s way to defend others."

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Toward the end of the speech, Charles mentioned reconciliation again.

"Prayer for peace and reconciliation — for 'doing to others as we would have them do to us' — which rang out over the fields near Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago, still reverberates from there and around the world today."

"It is a prayer for our times and our communities too as we journey through our lives," he noted.

Charles avoided any direct reference to personal family matters in his address.

In May, Harry told the BBC he was ready to reconcile, saying, "There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. I don’t know how much longer my father has." 

On Dec. 12, Charles, 77, revealed doctors have scaled back his cancer treatment plan after what he described as a positive response during an emotional televised address.

The Times of London recently reported that Harry’s hopes of reconciling with his father were damaged by a misguided accusation that the monarch’s aides leaked details of their meeting in an effort to "sabotage" the relationship.

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Charles was "rather surprised and saddened" by the news, while The Times reported that friends of the king said he was "disappointed."

The outlet reported Harry has not spoken to his father since their reunion in September and remains out of contact with Prince William and Kate Middleton. A source in London called suggestions that Harry and his father are on speaking terms "laughable."

A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Fox News Digital the report was "entirely speculative."

"We wouldn’t comment on the Duke or Duchess’s relationship with their family," the rep added.