Kate Middleton Will Host Her Annual Carol Service, Palace Confirms: Here’s When and Where
The announcement comes on the heels of the Princess of Wales' back-to-back appearances for Remembrance weekend
The announcement comes on the heels of the Princess of Wales' back-to-back appearances for Remembrance weekend
Kate Middleton is planning her next public appearance.
Following her back-to-back appearances at Remembrance events on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, Kensington Palace confirms that she will host her annual carol service at Westminster Abbey in London on Friday, Dec. 6.
Prince William will be in attendance alongside other members of the royal family, though the presence of the couple’s three children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. will not be confirmed until that day.
It is the fourth time that Princess Kate, 42, has hosted Together at Christmas, which celebrates the best of what is being done in communities throughout the U.K.
For Kate, it will be an especially poignant evening, as it comes at the end of a "brutal" year, as described by William while in Cape Town, South Africa, earlier this month. After undergoing major abdominal surgery in January, Kate disclosed in March that she was being treated for cancer. On Sept. 9, in an emotional video message, the princess announced that her chemotherapy was over but that she still had a long road ahead as she needed to take "each day as it comes." She added in her message that her focus now was to stay "cancer-free."
"This time has, above all, reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted," Kate said at the time. "Of simply loving and being loved."
It is a sentiment she will likely have in mind at the service on Dec. 6. The carol service was one of the key events she had in her sights to fullfill before the end of the year and the confirmation, coming so soon after she was able to join the family at the Remembrance weekend services, is another positive step.
The royal made two consecutive appearances over the Remembrance weekend, underlining the importance she puts on those specific duties that honor those that lost their lives on behalf of Britain in war. Amid her ongoing recovery, Kate has been holding meetings with staff about the organization for this year's service.
There will be 1,600 people invited to this year's service, and Princess Kate 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," her office at Kensington Palace said. "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 event will be filmed and broadcast on ITV1 and streamed on ITVx in the U.K. on Dec. 24. As well as other members of the royal family, there will be some familiar faces taking part in the carol concert, including singers Paloma Faith, Olivia Dean and Gregory Porter.
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Kate hosted her first Christmas concert at Westminster Abbey in 2021 to pay tribute to the work of individuals and organizations across the U.K. who supported their communities during the coronavirus pandemic.
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