King Charles III got emotional while sharing a big message as he continued royal tradition with his second Christmas speech, acknowledging that it is a “time of real hardship for many.”

In his pre-recorded address, the 75-year-old monarch spoke of faith, fellowship and compassion on Monday.

The King thanked the “selfless army” of volunteers in who he said were the “backbone” of British society.

Royal family’s social media accounts also shared the points from King Charles’s touching speech with a clip of the monarch’s message on Christmas Day, captioning: “His Majesty has spoken of compassion for others.”

With tears in his eyes, King Charles appeared to give a tribute to those who worked selflessly to bring peace and pleasures to others: “Throughout the year, my family have witnessed how people of all ages are making a difference to their communities. This is all the more important at a time of real hardship for many when we need to build on existing ways to support others less fortunate than ourselves.”