Prince Louis stays close to his mother as he, Prince George and Princess Charlotte join their parents at Westminster Abbey for Christmas carol concert
The Prince and Princess of Wales were every inch the doting parents as they were joined by their three children for Kate’s Christmas carol concert this evening.
Prince George, 12, was on hand as the eldest brother, while Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, followed in suit.
The whole family was sleek in navy and green, as the boys wore smart suits while Charlotte was adorable in a blue dress with a white collar – a perfect complement to her mother’s emerald winter coat.
Kate, 43, beamed proudly at her children, leading them towards Westminster Abbey as they admired the festive light decorations ahead of the service this evening.
Elsewhere William, 43, looked to enjoy a sweet conversation with his youngest son Louis, as they read messages on the Kindness Tree tonight.
The siblings also got in on the festive action as they signed their names on a sweet red paper chain which adorned the fir.
When inside, Louis once again had his parents’ attention as the Princess of Wales helped him balance a candle while holding onto the order of service as well.
Tonight’s carol service will feature a host of celebrities from Kate Winslet to Katie Melua as the Princess will bring together 1,600 guests to celebrate ‘the power of reaching out’.
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Louis cracked a smile as he sat with his mother, the Princess of Wales, at the carol service tonight
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Kate sat next to her children – sporting an emerald winter coat – at the carol service this evening
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The family applauded as they took in the festive atmosphere at Westminster Abbey on Friday night
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The Prince and Princess of Wales were joined by their children and other members of the Royal Family tonight
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Prince Louis stays close to his mother as Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined their parents at Westminster Abbey for the Christmas carol concert
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The Princess of Wales stands besides her youngest child, Prince Louis, seven, during the service at Westminster Abbey
Prince William, Winslet and actor Chiwetel Ejiofor will all give readings at the event which will recognise community stalwarts and honour ‘love in all its forms’.
Celebrity chef Dame Mary Berry, who has created a Christmas wreath on display in the abbey, will also be among the guests alongside leading sportswomen.
Melua, Fisherman’s Friends and Griff will perform on a roster also featuring Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham and Dan Smith from pop rock band Bastille.
William and Kate’s children – Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, ten, and Prince Louis, seven – could also be present, as they were last year, alongside other royals.
The service will recognise individuals from across the UK who may have dedicated or volunteered their time to be present with others, led initiatives that bring people in their community together, or offered a helping hand to those around them.
Among those invited is schoolgirl Madison Reed, who last year raised more than £1,360 for the Archie Foundation by Highland dancing in 26 locations across Scotland, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet.
She raised the funds for the charity, which supports sick children receiving medical care in north-east Scotland, along with their families.
In a letter that will be available to all guests, the princess has praised community stalwarts invited to the service, telling them they are making an ‘extraordinary difference to the lives of others’.
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Kate looked to be in high sprits as she was joined by her children for the event at Westminster Abbey
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Prince Louis was smart in a navy suit for the occasion, holding onto a candle from the service as he exited
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The Prince and Princess of Wales left with their children, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis
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George, Charlotte and Louis stayed close to their parents for tonight’s Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey
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The family was in high spirits as they enjoyed the carol service – and were pictured smiling on departure
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Prince William and Princess Catherine appeared in high spirits, despite the wet weather on Friday evening
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Prince William and Princess Catherine departed the carol service with their three children tonight
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Prince William and Princess Catherine waved to well-wishers as they left Westminster Abbey after the ‘Together at Christmas’ carol service this evening
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Prince Louis walked ahead as the Wales family departed Westminster Abbey in the rain this evening
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Prince Louis raced ahead as the Wales’ left Westminster Abbey at the end of the carol service tonight
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Prince William and Princess Catherine leave Westminster Abbey with their three children, with little Prince Louis leading the way
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The children got into the holiday spirit, as they wrote their names on a red paper chain adorning the tree
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The red chain links adorned the tree and included messages from other visitors at the concert too
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The Prince and Princess of helped their three children attach links to the symbolic paper chain adorning the Christmas tree
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The Wales’ all appeared to add their names to the Christmas tree paper chain ahead of the service
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Kate and her only daughter, Princess Charlotte, 10, appeared to share a joke and a smile as they walked into Westminster Abbey
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The whole family was sleek in navy and green, as the boys wore smart suits while Charlotte was adorable in a blue dress with a white collar – a perfect complement to her mother’s emerald winter coat
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The Prince and Princess and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, led the congregation at the carol service
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Princes George and Louis followed their father, Prince William, into Westminster Abbey this evening
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Princess Charlotte, 10, appeared confident as she accompanied her mother, the Princess of Wales
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Prince George wore a dark suit with a green tie for his mother’s carol concert while Princess Charlotte wore a navy dress with a ruffled white collar
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The Princess of Wales received her family with a huge smile at Westminster Abbey, on Friday evening
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The Princess of Wales smiled as she welcomed her three children and Prince William to the carol concert
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The Prince and Princess of Wales made their way into Westminster Abbey with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
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The Prince and Princess of Wales admired the Christmas tree at Westminster Abbey with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
She also extols the virtues of the Christmas period that reminds us ‘how deeply our lives are woven together’, adding that despite life feeling ‘fragmented or uncertain’ at times, the festive season ‘invites us to remember the power of reaching out to one another’.
In her letter, Kate said: ‘This carol service offers a moment of collective togetherness, a chance to celebrate the spirit of community and service, and to honour the visible and invisible bonds that unite us all.
‘The time, care and compassion you give, often quietly and unspoken, and without any expectation or recognition, make an extraordinary difference to the lives of others.’
Another selfless worker who will join the guests is Ann Davies, a volunteer cook for almost a decade with the Moses Project, a charity providing mentoring and support for men with past and current addictions to drugs and alcohol.
The 80-year-old also volunteers as a responsible adult at Middlesbrough police station, supporting vulnerable people who have been arrested.
Kate also wrote in her letter: ‘Christmas is a time that reminds us how deeply our lives are woven together. Just as the roots of trees share strength beneath the soil, unseen but vital, so too do we.
‘We are drawn by an instinctive pull towards belonging and connection. Even with all the rushing around and familiar traditions, there is a quieter sense of what it calls out in us.
‘There is a softness to the season that reminds us of something easy to forget; that what we do matters.
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Pictured: The Prince and Princess of Wales with their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10 and Prince Louis, seven
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The Princess of Wales offered a warm welcome to her husband and three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven
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Kate pictured at the event tonight. The service will recognise individuals from across the UK who may have dedicated or volunteered their time to be present with others, led initiatives that bring people in their community together, or offered a helping hand to those around them
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Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, donned a burgundy coat for the concert this evening – and wore suede boots
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Lord Frederick Windsor arrived with his wife, Sophie Winkleman, and their daughters Maud Windsor and Isabella Windsor
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Birgitte, the Duchess, opted for a burgundy coat worn over a scarlet outfit for the occasion on Friday
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In a letter that will be available to all guests, the princess has praised community stalwarts invited to the service, telling them they are making an ‘extraordinary difference to the lives of others’
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These services are which are to be hosted by lord-lieutenants and supported by The Royal Foundation. William and Kate pictured at a state banquet earlier this month
‘Our words, our choices, and even the ways we look out for one another – they ripple outward, touching lives we may never see.’
During the event readings linked to the theme of love, compassion and connection will be delivered by Winslet and Ejiofor, comic Babatunde Aleshe and rising actor Joe Locke, with the speakers accompanied by pianist Paul Gladstone Reid.
Among the other guests will be members of England women’s rugby World Cup winning squad – Rosie Galligan, Helena Rowland, Jess Breach and Marlie Packer, a number of the Wales women’s rugby team, including captain Alex Callender and Lioness Michelle Agyemang, a member of England Women’s Euro 2025 winners.
Former England rugby captain Lewis Moody, who recently announced he has motor neurone disease, has been invited, as has Holocaust survivor Steven Frank, who was photographed by Kate in 2020 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust.
The nation’s Second World War veterans are expected to be represented by Jack Mortimer, a corporal with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps who landed on Sword Beach on D-Day and John Eskdale, who saw combat with the Malta Convoys in 1942 and was involved in the invasion of Sicily in the summer of 1943.
Ambassadors and friends of the Royal Horticultural Society, gardener Arit Anderson, florist Simon Lycett and TV presenters Angelica Bell and Tom Allen, who all helped make wreaths on display in the abbey with school children, will also be among the guests.
Guests will see candles lit by people William and Kate have met in recent years and others taking part in the service which will also showcase the stories of some of those invited, who are helping to create a more caring and connected society.
They will be greeted by a festive display created by horticulturist Jamie Butterworth based on the importance of nature in our lives while the Royal Horticultural Society is set to donate wreaths made by their ambassadors, including Dame Mary, and schoolchildren.
The congregation will be able to add their names to a ‘connection tree’ symbolising the power of togetherness and the importance of moments of connection with one another.
The late Duchess of Kent’s charity Future Talent, which she co-founded to support musically gifted children from low-income backgrounds, will also feature during the service with a brass ensemble of eight teenagers playing as guests arrive.
And for the first time an illustrator will be sketching snapshots of the atmosphere inside the abbey, to capture moments as they happen.
The power of love theme was picked because in a world that can often feel fragmented and disconnected, the service will bring people together to celebrate love in all its forms, organisers say.
Some 15 community carol services, held in places including the Coronation Street Visitor Centre, an arts centre in Newbury and a community farm in Gwent, are also set to take place across the UK with the same love and togetherness theme and those guests will also receive Kate’s letter.
The full list of locations for the community services is Armagh, Berkshire, Derbyshire, Dumfries, Dyfed, East Riding, Gwent, Greater Manchester, Isle of Wight, Lanarkshire, Nottinghamshire, Renfrewshire & Ayrshire, Suffolk, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.
These services are which are to be hosted by lord-lieutenants and supported by The Royal Foundation.
The service will air on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas Day.
