Kate Middleton has confirmed she will host her annual Together at Christmas Carol Service at Westminster Abbey next month in what is expected to be a joyful close to what Prince William recently described as a “brutal” year.
Kate has been working on the Together at Christmas service, which will air on Christmas Eve on ITV, and recently took to X (formerly Twitter) with a video of invitations which have gone out to some 1,600 members of the public. On Wednesday, Kensington Palace confirmed that the princess and members of the royal family will attend the Christmas celebration on Friday, December 6.
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Vanity Fair has been told that the Middleton family is also expected to attend along with Kate and William’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
“The feeling is very much that this year’s service is going to be extra special,” says a family friend. “It’s a really important occasion for Catherine and she is determined to be there, having been quite hands-on behind the scenes. Expect it to be a big family occasion and a happy note on which to close an otherwise very challenging 2024.”
Palace aides have said that the service will provide “a moment to reflect upon the importance of love and empathy, and how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times of our lives.”
Supported by The Royal Foundation, the theme for this year’s service seems particularly poignant following Kate and King Charles’s shocking cancer diagnoses earlier this year. Inside the abbey, decorations will be inspired by nature, where the princess sought refuge during her course of preventative chemotherapy, which she completed in September.
According to a statement, “The service will shine a light on individuals from all over the UK who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards others in their communities. …This year, Her Royal Highness wanted to celebrate the many people supporting those in need – individuals who have inspired, counselled, comforted, and above all else shown that love is the greatest gift we can receive. This theme takes inspiration from the Christmas story which encourages us to consider the experiences of others and the important human need of giving and receiving empathy.”
The Abbey, where Prince William and Kate were married in 2011, will be filled with guests who who have supported others in their communities while Westminster Abbey choir will perform some of the nation’s most beloved carols, alongside musical performances by guests including Paloma Faith, Olivia Dean and Gregory Porter and music by young performers from Restore the Music.
The service will also share stories of some of the incredible guests in the congregation, who have provided invaluable support across their communities.
In addition to the Westminster Abbey Service, fifteen Together at Christmas community carol services will be taking place across the UK, hosted by Lord-Lieutenants, and supported by The Royal Foundation. Like the Westminster Abbey service, each of the community services will recognize those who have gone above and beyond to help others. They will be held in a variety of places including Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro and Blackpool Tower Circus.
