Princess Catherine was the picture of health as she hosted her fourth Christmas carols service
The six-year-old prince was on his best behaviour as his mother hosted her beloved Christmas carols service at Westminster Abbey, impressing onlookers with his sweet message.
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The Princess of Wales was welcomed with cheers from an adoring crowd in London as she arrived at Westminster Abbey on Friday night to host her fourth Christmas carol services.
She attended the event alongside her family including the Prince of Wales and their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, with all of them wearing splashes of red.
The 42-year-old wore a festive classic red Alexander McQueen coat featuring a classic large black bow and Ralph Lauren boots and she waved to the eager onlookers in her first major public appearance since recovering from cancer treatment.
Both her sons wore festive red ties to match Princess Catherine’s beautiful red ensemble and Princess Charlotte wore a similar striking dark red coat.
Princess Catherine was greeted outside the Abbey by The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster and Prince William and their three children visited the Kindness tree located outside the Abbey for guests to hang a decoration dedicated to someone who has helped them in their life.
Six-year-old Prince Louis, whose card was visible, showed off his penmanship with a sweet note that said: “Thank you to Granny and Grandpa because they have played games with me”.
In Princess Catherine’s letter sent to the 1600 guests she wrote, “Christmas is one of my favourite times of year”.
“It is a time for celebration and joy, but it also gives us the opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all,” she said.
“It is when we stop and take ourselves away from the pressures of daily life, that we find the space to live our lives with an open heart, with love, kindness and forgiveness – so much of what the Christmas spirit is all about”.
King Charles and Queen Camilla did not attend the service but other attendees included the Middleton family including Princess Catherine’s sister Pippa and brother James.
Royal Family members to attend the service included Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Zara Tindall and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
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On Friday night in London Princess Catherine is scheduled to host this year’s ‘Together at Christmas’ Carol Service’ at Westminster Abbey and it will be one of the few official appearances she will make in 2024.
The service – which is in its fourth year – will not be broadcast to the public until Christmas Eve.
Earlier in the week Princess Catherine was among many members of the British royal family to welcome the Emir of Qatar during his two-day visit to the UK, meeting him alongside her husband Prince William.
Catherine, 42, was seen wearing a burgundy coat crafted by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and a matching hat designed by Sahar Millinery.
She received glowing reports in the British press including comments that she “looked sensational”, with many keeping a close watch on her public appearances as they slowly become more frequent.
Majesty magazine’s editor-in-chief Ingrid Seaward said there’s huge interest not just in the UK but globally in Catherine’s return to official duties, giving the public reassurance she is making a full recovery.
“A lot of people have followed her progress this year and are really concerned about her illness, seeing her out and about looking so radiant and amazing gives people a bit of a lift," Ms Seaward told News Corp.
“I think it’s very positive because it’s been a very difficult year probably for the whole world, we’ve missed seeing her – she’s positive, she’s gorgeous and she does good work.
“She’s something we can be proud of”.
Former Buckingham Palace spokesman Dickie Arbiter said, “Princess Catherine is back but she’s not fully back”.
“She looked good for the Qatari visit and at the Remembrance service at the Cenotaph, she’s edging back slowly”.
Official royal photographer Arthur Edwards at the British newspaper The Sun, owned by News UK, said it was fantastic to see Princess Catherine making public appearances at events again and looking “radiant”.
“We are seeing her a lot more at engagements, about once a fortnight,” he said.
“She’s look radiant, she lights up the room”.
In March the Princess of Wales revealed that she was undergoing cancer treatment and six months later published a video with her family including three children, George, Charlotte and Louis and she said she was recovering and hoped to stay “cancer free”.
While her recovery from her cancer diagnosis has been followed intensely around the world, Queen Camilla has recently remained absent from public appearances as she continues to battle a chest infection which she contracted during her recent visit to Australia last month. However the monarch did make an appearance on Thursday UK time at a reception in London to mark 50 Years of the service Women's Aid.
The Queen met with survivors of domestic abuse and supporters of the organisation.
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