1,600 guests filled the pews at Westminster Abbey tonight, and they were invited to thank them for supporting others, either on a personal level with friends and family or through their work or volunteering.
The Princess of Wales bravely took her first leading role since her cancer ordeal tonight as she hosted her annual Christmas Carol Service with her husband and children by her side.
It marked her biggest royal return of the year, as instead of taking a supporting role Kate, 42, was centre stage in a huge personal moment for the future Queen.
“Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times,” Kate wrote in a letter to the 1,600 guests invited to the Westminster Abbey concert on Friday.
It highlights the themes of her Together at Christmas Carol Service, which are kindness, love, empathy, and being there for each other through tough times.
Kate’s emotional message calling for “love, not fear” comes after the Prince of Wales described this year as “brutal” following his wife’s shock cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Princess Kate donned a red coat (Image: Getty)
It also came shortly after his father, the King, was diagnosed with the same disease.
The princess spent months undergoing gruelling chemotherapy, but in September, she revealed that her treatment had come to an end and she would begin to ease herself back into royal duties.
She’s attended a handful of events since, including two engagements in a row on Remembrance Weekend and the Qatari State visit earlier this week.
However, the carol service marks her most significant return to date, as the spotlight was firmly on her and the event she has so carefully planned over several months.
Kate arrived ahead of the service wearing a festive red coat by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. She was later joined her husband and their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlote, nine, and Prince Louis, six as they arrived at the Abbey.
The brothers wore matching festive ties while Charlotte wore a red coat.
Kate said that at last year’s carol service she “didn’t know” what 2024 had in store for her as she arrived to host her fourth annual event at Westminster Abbey.
An hour before the service began, Kate arrived alone to greet performers in the Chapter House of the abbey before walking around to greet other guests.
When singer Paloma Faith expressed sympathy for the princess, who this year underwent chemotherapy, Kate, 42, replied: “I didn’t know this time last year it was going to be the year I’ve just had.”
Princess Kate sat next to her children and Prince William (Image: Getty)
The princess, who married Prince William in 2011 and attended both the late Queen’s funeral in 2022 and the King’s Coronation last May at the abbey said that the building held “so many memories” for her.
While seeming to talk about the soloists from the Royal Ballet who performed during the service, Kate said that she had enlisted Prince Louis, six, to keep it a surprise for her daughter Princess Charlotte, nine.
Speaking to Paloma Faith, Kate said she asked Louis “Can you keep a secret otherwise it won’t be a surprise for Charlotte, who loves her ballet dancing.”
She said that Louis agreed. “He has kept the secret for, what, nearly two weeks now.”
“Very challenging,” said Faith.
“For a six-year-old,” replied Kate. “And then this morning he said “Mummy, please can I tell her – I’m bursting. I did drop off and he really wanted to tell her. I think – hopefully – he’s kept it.”
Princess Charlotte’s face lit up when the ballet dancers performed right in front of her, suggesting her younger brother had been good to his word.
Greeting various guests as she walked through the abbey, she stopped at the nave to greet Chris Hoy and his family.
The Olympic cycling champion who has terminal cancer told her he had never been to Westminster Abbey before.
Shaking hands with Hoy’s young son Callum and daughter Chloe, Kate commented on Chloe’s sparkly dress, saying: “I was going to wear sparkles too!”
Kate then walked back to the front of the abbey to greet her husband and their children.
“Hi,” said William.
The family then went to look at the “kindness tree” where guests had been invited to write the name of someone who had helped them this year on red card to decorate the tree.
Among other guests in attendance was Kate’s sister Pippa, who walked in with Lady Gabriella Windsor. Lady Gabriella spoke out at the inquest of her late husband Thomas Kingston this week, who died from a shotgun wound to the head in February.
The Middletons supported Princess Kate tonight (Image: Getty)
A statement by Lady Gabriella, 43, was read out at Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court about how people should be warned about the effects of medications used to treat mental health conditions or else more people could die.
Other members of the extended Royal Family included Zara Tindall and her husband Mike, Princess Beatrice and her husband and stepson Christopher “Wolfie” Mapelli, eight.
1,600 guests filled the pews, and they were invited to thank them for supporting others, either on a personal level with friends and family or through their work or volunteering.
Among them was nine-year-old Shyla Brown from Cambridgeshire, who has raised over £2,000 waking marathons, running bake sales and cycling 100 miles around Wisbeck.
She is raising money for her best friend Harrison, and his brother, who both suffer the degenerative Batten Disease – a life-long condition affecting sight, memory and physical ability.
Olivia Bowditch, 18, was also invited for her work volunteering with the charity ‘From me to you’, which sends anonymous letters to cancer patients to make them feel loved and supported.
She has been a volunteer for a number of years and sent a letter to the Princess, sharing her support and telling her about the charity and her volunteer work.
Kate also invited Diven Halai, who became the first man to run the London Marathon with an oxygen machine in 2022, raising £20,000 for Asthma + Lung UK and paralympic swimmer Ellie Challis, who lost her lower limbs and arms through meningitis at just 16 months.
Families affected by the Southport knife attack, who Kate and William met in October, were among those invited.
Lindsey Burrows, the widow of MND campaigner Rob Burrow, was among those lighting candles.
The family of Liz Hatton, the 17-year-old aspiring photographer who died last month from a rare form of cancer, were also invited to the Abbey.
The prince and princess paid tribute to the “brave” teenager, having met Liz and her family at Windsor Castle in October.
Festive music by young performers, including a 25-piece steel pan band, greeted guests as they arrived and the order of service and letter from the Princess was carefully placed on their seats.
Members Of The Royal Family Attend The ‘Together At Christmas’ Carol Service
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis arrived with William (Image: Getty)
The order of service featured an illustration by Charlie Mackesy, which read: “How did I help? You were by my side, which was everything” – a further reinforcement of the service’s message of supporting those in need.
In her personal letter, the first she has written to guests since she launched the festive tradition in 2021, the princess discusses the importance of compassion and says: “We must all shine for each other.
“Because in times of joy and sadness, we are all each other’s light.”
Guests were encouraged to leave a message to someone who had supported them throughout their life on a special ‘Kindness Tree’ outside the Abbey.
The princess and her family took seats at the front of the church, seated beside a dozen members of the Royal Family.
Kate’s parents and siblings, who have been a great source of comfort through her cancer ordeal, sat a few seats behind.
Clutching candles, guests then stood for the first carol, which opened with the Westminster Abbey choir before the congregation joined in.
The hour-long concert featured famous performers, including Richard E. Grant, Paloma Faith, Olivia Dean, and Gregory Porter, as well as a performance by two soloists from The Royal Ballet.
They performed while the choir sang The Colours of Christmas by John Rutter.
Actress Michelle Dockery, famous for her role in Downton Abbey, gave the first reading – her own personal reflections on empathy and kindness.
William stood later to read the first Lesson, Isaiah 9:2, which was similar to his wife’s Christmas message.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined,” he said.
One particularly poignant moment came when the intergenerational choir Sankofa Songsters led one of the hymns.
The choir, from Belong Care Village in Chester, is a beautiful mix of elderly residents, some of whom have dementia, young children and members of the local community.
The service, conducted by the Dean of Westminster, also featured two films: Nature at Christmas and The Joy of Togetherness.
Kate’s carol service, which is supported by The Royal Foundation, will be broadcast as part of a special programme on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve
In addition, 15 Together At Christmas community carol services were held across the UK last night, including at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro and Blackpool Tower Circus.