Beaming Kate leads royals at Westminster Abbey for star-studded Christmas service
The Princess of Wales beamed as she took part in her highly-anticipated fourth annual carol service at Westminster Abbey.
Royals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IN LONDON
The Princess of Wales has made a glamorous entrance at Westminster Abbey for her annual Together at Christmas carol service.
Kate, 42, was without the rest of her family, who arrived a short time later.
Shortly before 5pm BST, Prince William, 40, was seen escorting their three children - Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince George, 6 - into the Abbey. Charlotte was dressed in a deep red, opting for a similar hue to her mother, while the Prince of Wales and the two boys coordinated with burgundy ties.
Princess Beatrice arrived with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and her stepson, Christopher (known as Wolfie), as well as Zara Tindall.
Beatrice and Edoardo, who married in July 2020, are expecting their second child together in the UK springtime next year. They already share a daughter Sienna, born in 2021, as well as Edoardo’s eight-year-old son, whom he had with his ex.
Meanwhile, Kate has been deep in preparations for weeks ahead of her fourth Together at Christmas event, which this year is focusing on “love and empathy, and how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult time of our lives”.
1,600 special guests were invited to join the royal family and high-profile figures for the service, which has been filmed tonight and will be broadcast on Christmas Eve.
Earlier this week, it emerged that Kate had also quietly invited the survivors and relatives of victims of the horrific Southport stabbing attack, which left three young girls dead in July.
A source told The Sun that she “personally ensured” that everyone affected by the tragedy was offered a spot at the event, which will “mean more to her than ever before” this year.
“It promises to be an incredible, life-affirming night, and there’s been a lot of organisation involved to get it already,” the insider said.
Together at Christmas this year combined traditional and modern elements so as to be all-inclusive, and featured carols by the renowned Abbey choir, along with performances by musical stars including Paloma Faith, Olivia Dean and Gregory Porter and readings by the Prince of Wales and actor Richard E. Grant.
Days out from the highly-anticipated event, Kate sent a heartfelt Christmas message calling for “love, not fear”.
The princess, who has battled cancer this year, added that “love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times”, and said that Christmas is about “the importance of giving and receiving empathy” and showing “how much we need each other in spite of our differences”.
The message was also sent in a letter to guests attending the carol service, as well as to those going to 15 regional concerts being held around the UK in connection with the event.
The Together at Christmas service marks a significant milestone in Kate’s recovery from cancer, and comes more than three months after she announced that she had completed her months-long chemotherapy treatment.
The princess announced in March that cancer had been found during abdominal surgery a few weeks prior.
She was forced to retreat from the public eye and take indefinite leave from royal work as she underwent preventive chemotherapy, but made a handful of appearances, including at the Trooping the Colour and the Wimbledon tennis tournament, throughout the process.
Originally published as Beaming Kate leads royals at Westminster Abbey for star-studded Christmas service
‘Humiliation’: Andrew’s brutal family snub
Prince Andrew was spotted leaving with his ex-wife just minutes before an important moment for his brother, the King.
Kate stuns at royals’ Christmas service
Kate Middleton glowed as she joined Prince William at a church service with their kids, nearly a year after her cancer diagnosis.