Step into a world where tradition meets innovation as King Charles’s Christmas message takes a powerful leap, offering an experience like never before.

King's speech

Viewers will be able to watch the broadcast while sitting in a luxury wooden lodge or in full cinema (Image: PA)

For the first time, viewers will be able to watch the broadcast while sitting in a luxury wooden lodge or in full cinema style, offering an immersive and unique viewing experience.

 

An insider explained the tech will involve using the new Meta Quest 3 VR headset, “We have a great tradition of embracing new technologies from the very start of the Royal Christmas message and are always looking to reach out to new audiences.”

Despite the embrace of VR technology for his Christmas message, King Charles is known to be selective when it comes to the technology he personally uses.

According to reports, he doesn’t have his own mobile phone, but is a regular user of Dyson air purifying fans and, unlike most people, enjoys using Zoom, which he used extensively during the Covid lockdown.

 

Fourth Christmas Day speech since ascending the throne

This year’s message will mark King Charles’s fourth Christmas Day speech since he became the monarch in 2022.

The tradition of the Christmas broadcast began in 1932 as an idea of Sir John Reith, the founding father of the BBC, with King George V addressing the Commonwealth using a script written by Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling.

The Christmas message has a long history of embracing new technologies. In 1957, under Queen Elizabeth II, the address was televised for the first time.

King's speech

Using the new Meta Quest 3 VR headset, viewers will be able to watch the broadcast (Image: Getty)

The evolution of the royal message

To mark her Diamond Jubilee year in 2012, the message was recorded in 3D for the first time. A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman at the time said:

“We wanted to do something a bit different and special in this Jubilee year, so doing it for the first time in 3D seemed a good thing, technology wise, to do. The Queen absolutely agreed straight away there was no need for convincing at all, she was absolutely ready to embrace something new in this year.”

As the Royal Christmas message continues to evolve with the times, the introduction of virtual reality marks another milestone in its long history of technological advancement.