King Charles

King Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles just dropped their lovely holiday photo for the entire world to see. Even though the dad of two looks dapper in the snap, the picture sparked speculations that he could be celebrating his last Christmas.

While the King remains actively engaged in his duties, his ongoing battle with cancer, diagnosed in February 2024, has reportedly led him to view the upcoming family gathering at Sandringham as a particularly significant milestone.

A post shared by instagram

Why This Holiday Season is Important to King Charles

A source told Us Weekly that King Charles wants to make this year's festivities memorable.

'Charles prioritises duty, but he's also a family man who knows his time is precious,' the source said. 'He wants a special last Christmas just in case it's his last,' the source said.

The annual gathering at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk is a royal tradition that began in 1988. It serves as a private family holiday and a semi-official diplomatic event. Historically, the composition of the guest list and the public walk to St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas morning are scrutinised for signals regarding the state of the monarchy.

King Charles' holiday schedule will be similar to previous years. He will kick off the morning festivities by attending a service at the St Mary Magdalene Church. He will also record his annual speech on the same day.

'Nothing would stop Charles from doing that. He will do everything expected of him and more,' the source added.

King Charles Continues to Work Hard

Royal photographer Chris Jackson, who has worked with the royal family for many years, weighed in on the King's health. He revealed that he was on assignment when King Charles received his cancer diagnosis.

'There have been challenges in recent years. I think the transition [Charles becoming King after Elizabeth's death] was a challenging period. Seeing how the King and Princess Catherine bounced back from difficult times has been incredible,' he said in an interview.

But despite all this, King Charles' resilience never wavered. This shows his dedication to the royal family and the rest of the nation.

'Even keeping up with the King today is really hard work. He's working left, right and centre with so many engagements,' he said.

King Charles on Prince William, Prince Harry

Ongoing friction within the family is reportedly complicating the festive planning. Sources claim King Charles does not plan to invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their decision to attend Kris Jenner's birthday bash did not sit well with him.

As for the Prince of Wales, King Charles is allegedly hurt by his eldest son's plan to overhaul the British monarchy. For one, Prince William is reportedly planning to make his coronation ceremony simpler to cut down on the cost.

'He wants to make sure the whole thing has even more impact and remains relevant,' a source told The Times.

Jason Knauf, CEO of EarthShot Prize, said that Prince William wants to be mindful of his actions and decisions because he's always thinking of how these would reflect on him.

'There are traditions and things that won't change, but this thinking about the next [role] is how is this going to be reflective of him?' he said.

Writer's pick