Kate Middelton at Together At Christmas 2021.Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage
Kate Middletonis officially starting a new Christmas tradition!
On Friday, Buckingham Palace announced that thePrincess of Wales, 40, will host a holiday carol concert at Westminster Abbey for the second year in a row. The festive event is set to take place on Dec. 15, bringing together members of the royal family with charity staff, community volunteers, frontline workers, military personnel and more to “celebrate the joy that human connection can bring.”
In a touching tribute, this year’s Christmas concert will also honor the lateQueen Elizabeth II, who died in September at age 96. The service will showcase the values she upheld through her remarkable life and reign, like empathy, compassion, and support for others.
Prince William and Kate Middleton.Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty
The Princess of Wales hosted herfirst Christmas concertat Westminster Abbey last year, spearheadingRoyal Carols: Together At Christmasto pay tribute to the incredible work of individuals and organizations across the U.K. who supported their communities through the coronavirus pandemic.
Kate Middleton and Prince William.Chris Jackson/Getty
The Abbey Choir similarly sang at the show, which also saw performances fromEllie Goulding, Scottish singer Tom Walker, andLeona Lewis.Prince Williamalso delivered a reading from Luke 2:1-7 during the service.
In a special surprise, Kate gave her first public performance on the piano during a duet with Walker on the song “For Those Who Can’t Be Here.”
“Without doubt, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” the 30-year-old artist said of their duet. “I thought she absolutely smashed the performance; it’s not easy to just jump behind a piano with a bunch of musicians you’ve never played with before and record live takes to camera, but she completely nailed it.”
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“She’s such a lovely, kind and warm-hearted person and she took the time to thank everyone personally for the opportunity to play together. It was a crazy pinch-yourself kind of day for me, to be in such a beautiful venue playing alongside the Duchess with my band and a string quartet. I certainly won’t forget that in a hurry!”
According to a royal source, the idea for the performance came from the senior royal herself. Princess Kate played piano as a child, and took “great comfort” in playing music throughout the pandemic. At aForward Trust eventlast October, she met Walker and heard him perform “Leave a Light On,” his song about the struggles of those experiencing addiction.
She asked him to play at the carol service because his holiday song “For Those Who Can’t Be Here” had “such pertinence for so many this year.” It also “struck a chord” with Kate, who suggested she accompany the hitmaker.
“Music was very important to the Duchess during the lockdowns,” the royal source said. “She also recognizes the powerful way in which music brings people together — especially during difficult times. For these reasons, she was keen to be part of Tom’s performance in this way.”
source: people.com
