King Charles III is set to focus on health care workers in his traditional Christmas message

LONDON -- LONDON (AP) — King Charles III and close members of the royal family attended Christmas Day services Wednesday at a church on Sandringham, the estate on the windswept North Sea coast that has served as a retreat for the royals for generations.

The monarch, who is suffering from cancer, waved to a large crowd of onlookers who traditionally gather outside the church in hopes of catching a glimpse of the royal parade before and after the service. Also in attendance was the Princess of Wales, the king’s daughter-in-law, who has been slowly returned to public duties after completing a course of chemotherapy.

In a reflection of the medical treatments they have received, Charles is expected to use his annual Christmas message broadcast later in the day to highlight health workers.

One familiar face was absent from the traditional scene outside St. Mary Magdalene Church: Prince Andrew. The king’s 64-year-old brother has retreated further into the shadows amid news that a Chinese businessman had been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he cultivated links with Andrew on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party.

Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has become a constant source of tabloid fodder because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including the late American financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Even though Andrew had stepped back from public duties, he has continued to appear at family events and his absence from Sandringham suggests a further retreat from the public eye. The king has been under pressure to put more distance between Andrew and the royal family to avoid further embarrassment to the monarchy.

While Andrew has said he never discussed anything sensitive with the suspected Chinese spy and that he ceased contact with the man as soon as concerns were raised, the scandal raises further questions about his judgment and distracts from the work of the royal family, said Ed Owens, author of “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?’’

“The reason why this is a problem for the king is simply that the king is trying to rebrand the monarchy at the moment, centering its focus around him, but also around William, Catherine, what they are trying to do,” Owens said.

“It’s been a very difficult year for the monarchy, not least because of the two cancer diagnoses. And all the positive headlines that the king has been trying to generate of late, unfortunately, are overshadowed by the behavior, the reckless behavior, of his younger brother, who once again finds himself in the headlines.”

Charles' speech was recorded at Fitzrovia Chapel in London, which was part of the now-demolished Middlesex Hospital where his first wife, Diana, opened London’s first dedicated ward for those with AIDS. The building is richly decorated in a Gothic Revival style featuring more than 500 stars in a gold leaf ceiling.

“I assume that this space, being one of calm reflection, but also thinking about health, about care, about the medical profession, would make it a pretty apt choice,” said Carla Whalen, chair of the Fitzrovia Chapel Foundation’s board of trustees.

The broadcast is watched by millions of people in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth.

In keeping with the King’s desire to go into the community, he tasked the team organizing the broadcast with finding a site away from the royal estate. It's a rare occasion when the monarch's Christmas message is not recorded from one of the royal residences, notably Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. The last time his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, recorded her message outside the royal estate was in 2006.

The criteria were clear: the building had to have health connections, a strong community presence and a place of solace and reflection for those with faith or none.

This is the king’s third Christmas speech since he ascended the throne after the queen died in September 2022. It is the first since he was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February.

His treatment forced him to step away from public appearances for two months. The 76-year-old monarch has slowly returned to public life in recent months and was in good spirits on a tour of Australia with his wife, Queen Camilla, in October.

It's been a difficult year for the royal family. A few weeks after Charles began treatment, the Princess of Wales announced her own cancer diagnosis, which sidelined her for much of the year as she underwent chemotherapy.

In a voiceover for the broadcast of her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey, which was recorded this month but broadcast on Tuesday evening, Kate reflected on the love and support that she has received.

“The Christmas story encourages us to consider the experiences and feelings of others," she said. “It also reflects our own vulnerabilities and reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving empathy, as well as just how much we need each other in spite of our differences."

Meanwhile, Camilla has had a lingering chest infection in recent weeks and hasn’t been able to attend certain events, including last month’s remembrance service for fallen service personnel.

Camilla walked alongside the king to the church with Prince William, Kate and their three children following. Charles' other siblings, Anne, the Princess Royal, and Edward, the Prince of Edinburgh, were also in the procession.

Charles has long taken refuge at Sandringham, one of the most famous stately homes in Britain. It sits on an 8,000-hectare (20,000-acre) estate in Norfolk on the eastern coast of England.

The private home of the last six British monarchs, Sandringham sits amid parkland, gardens and working farms about 110 miles (180 kilometers) north of London. It has been owned by the royal family since 1862, passing directly from one monarch to the next for more than 160 years.

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Brian Melley contributed to this report.