King Charles first Christmas speech attracts most stares

King Charles III's first Christmas Message has attracted the highest viewing figures this century for the monarch's traditional festive address, according to reports.

The Britain's new monarch has topped the Christmas Day ratings with over 10 million watching his first seasonal broadcast. Viewing figures exceeded those for the Queen’s final December 25 message in 2021.

It has revealed that the combined audience was 10.7 million. In comparison, Queen Elizabeth II's final Christmas message a year ago was seen by 8.96 million viewers.

King Charles paid tribute to his mother's work during his first festive address. He also took the opportunity to reflect on the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, as he spoke of those struggling to pay their bills.

According to figures collated by Sussex University, the audience for the late Queen's annual broadcast dropped below 10 million in the late 1990s and had not climbed that high again.