King Charles III records Christmas speech at former hospital chapel

King Charles III has broken from tradition by recording his Christmas speech in a former hospital chapel.

The monarch typically addresses the nation on Christmas Day from a royal palace or estate, however, King Charles will instead deliver his annual message from London’s Fitzrovia Chapel, which once served as the chapel of the Middlesex Hospital.

According to the BBC, King Charles opted to break away from tradition for the first time in more than a decade as he wanted a location with a healthcare connection, in a year when the 76-year-old has been undergoing cancer treatment.

The small chapel was built in the courtyard of what was the Middlesex Hospital and was kept when the hospital was demolished in 2008. The ornately decorated chapel was reopened in 2016 after a renovation and is used as a space for community events and exhibitions.

King Charles recorded his traditional speech while standing next to a Christmas tree earlier this month. The tree has been donated to a hospice in Clapham, south London.

The royal was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer in February. He continues to undergo treatments and has a packed calendar filled with public engagements and visits next year.

His daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales was also diagnosed with cancer in March. She made occasional public appearances during the rest of the year before announcing in September that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment.

The traditional Christmas message is typically recorded in Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. However, there have been some exceptions over the years, most recently with Queen Elizabeth II’s 2010 address, which was filmed at Hampton Court Palace.

The speech will be broadcast in the U.K. at 3pm on Christmas Day.