The Salvation Army in Penrith is welcoming members of the local community in to watch King Charles III's first Christmas Day broadcast. 

It is the first King's Christmas speech to be broadcast across the nation in 70 years following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. 

King George VI was the last king to deliver a Christmas Day speech in 1951, the year before his death. 

His speech was broadcast by radio but King Charles's will be the first Christmas Day address by a king to be televised.

Major Carole Donaldson, church leader at The Salvation Army in Penrith, said: "We wanted to provide a space for the community to gather and watch this momentous occasion in our country's timeline, a chance to see a part of history being made.

"Not only is this the first King's speech in nearly 70 years, it will also be the first King's speech televised as all previous kings have only had their speech broadcast on radio."

The Penrith Salvation Army is also hosting a Christmas Day lunch with turkey and all the trimmings prior to the King's speech. 

"The wider offering of our Christmas Day event is also a time for people to come together and feel a sense of community when they otherwise might not," said Major Donaldson.

"Sadly, for all too many people across Penrith, these are troubling and worrying times.

"We wanted to ensure everyone has somewhere to go and people to be with on Christmas Day whilst also keeping warm and fed as the cost of living crisis continues to rage on."

The late Queen broadcast a Christmas Day speech every year in the afternoon, and sitting down to watch it together has been an annual tradition for many families.

Her Majesty often used her Christmas Day broadcast to speak about her personal faith in Jesus and the meaning of Christmas.