Kate Middleton continued a long-running tradition by hosting her Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey last week, where she was joined by Prince William, her children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and an audience of about 1,600 people being honored for their community service. The event was closed to the public, but on December 24, ITV will air an hour-long special recorded at the event, and Kate lent her voice to a promo spot released Tuesday.
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“Join me this Christmas Eve, for a special Carol Service to celebrate all those who have shown love, empathy and kindness in their communities this year,” she said. The video shows the family’s arrival at the event, alongside footage of Kate helping Louis affix a handwritten note to the “Kindness Tree” that decorated the Abbey. (Louis’s note reportedly thanked his grandpa and grandma Michael and Carole Middleton for “playing games” with him this year.)
During the event, she spoke with performer Paloma Faith about “unplanned” turns in her year following the diagnosis. “I didn’t know this year was going to be the year I’ve just had,” she said. “But I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times.”
When Kate announced that she had concluded a round of chemotherapy following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year, aides told Vanity Fair that she would be limiting her public engagements for the rest of the year, but hosting her annual choral service was a priority.
A royal insider told People this week that her unexpected health challenges, and the February announcement of King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis, had prompted William and Kate to focus on their family. “There’s a sense of calm before the storm,” the source said. “They are next in line for the biggest job of their lives, and of course, Kate’s health has taken priority, but it’s also allowed everyone to take a step back and figure out what’s important right now.”
Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told the magazine that despite their focus on their concern for their family, the king’s health has kept them thinking about the future. “Although the King is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment,” Smith said. “As a result William has been taking on more responsibilities, and he and Kate have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected.”
