London UK - King Charles III will make his annual Christmas speech from a former hospital chapel, in a break from tradition as the British monarch undergoes cancer treatment, Buckingham Palace said Monday.

The address comes at the end of a year in which the royal family faced multiple medical setbacks, starting with Charles (76) being diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer in February.

The speech, which was pre-recorded at the Fitzrovia Chapel in central London, will be the first time the address to the nation is made from outside a royal residence since 2006.

The Byzantine-inspired chapel used to be part of Middlesex Hospital and has served as "a place of solace, prayer and rest for staff and patients" for nearly 100 years, according to a Buckingham Palace statement.

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Although the king has slowly returned to public duties, he is still undergoing cancer treatment, which is expected to continue into 2025.

His daughter-in-law Princess Catherine was also diagnosed with cancer this year, and announced in September she had completed chemotherapy.

The last time the annual broadcast was made outside a royal residence was in 2006, when Charles' mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II made her speech from Southwark Cathedral.

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This year's message was recorded earlier in December from the ornate Grade II listed chapel which boasts over 500 stars in its gold-leaf ceiling and some 40 different types of marble.

The king's speech will be broadcast by Sky News at 1500 GMT on Christmas Day.