UK's King Charles III spoke about his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in his first Christmas message to the nation as monarch on Sunday.
He also paid tribute to the "heartfelt solidarity" of people across the UK amid rising costs that are causing increasing hardship to so many.
He spoke from St George's Chapel, the final resting place of the late Queen and the very place where Elizabeth delivered her Christmas message in 1999.
Standing by a twinkling Christmas tree, he noted that this is "a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones."
Charles acceded to the throne immediately after the Queen's death in September. His coronation ceremony is scheduled to take place in May 2023.
He has also held the presidency of 14 Commonwealth countries, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
The king's speech capped another chaotic year for Britain, which is reeling from the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit.
In 2022, the nation has had three prime ministers in the space of two months and is now facing an economic recession and a cost-of-living crisis.
In his speech, Charles commended ordinary people for their generosity and charities for their "extraordinary work in the most difficult circumstances."
"I particularly want to pay tribute to all those wonderfully kind people who so generously give food or donations, or ... their time, to support those around them in greatest need," Charles said.
"Such heartfelt solidarity is the most inspiring expression of loving our neighbor as our self," he added.
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