As the Princess of Wales looks forward to her Christmas carol concert next week (on Friday 5 December), it kicks off the royal festive season in style.
She is heavily involved in organising, curating and inviting all the participants. A couple of years ago, she delighted us all with her amazing piano playing. It’s the fifth time she’s hosted it at Westminster Abbey, and it’s become a real royal staple.
I also think it’s an important sign of how she wants to operate when she is Queen. Celebrating community, cohesion and connection - and all those who contribute to that.
One of the things I love most about Kate’s event is that there are 15 ‘Together at Christmas’ carol concerts being held across the UK, so as many people as possible can take part.
The theme this year is love in all its many forms (there are at least six different types in Ancient Greek and two of my faves are agape, which has come to mean unconditional love or charity, and xenia, kindness to strangers).
The Abbey will look beautiful inside and out, thanks to Jamie Butterworth’s festive greenery (he created Monty Don’s RHS Chelsea Dog Garden this year), which highlights how important nature has been to Kate’s recovery from cancer.
This year has seen the Princess take a slow and considered return to work, and I think the policy has really paid off.
Another mini first for the Princess was her return to black tie events with last week’s Royal Variety Performance (shown on ITV next month).
She looked dazzling in a deep green velvet evening gown by Talbot Runhof (a new-to-Kate designer) with the late Queen’s chandelier diamond earrings and Cartier bracelet.
It was only in January that she revealed she was in remission from cancer, saying she remained focused on her recovery.
‘As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal’.
Her new normal included prioritising family life and getting outdoors, above everything. Whether she could attend engagements would depend on how she felt on the day.
Her no-show at Royal Ascot in June caused some alarm, but when every picture is scrutinised, every movement poured over and clothes-choice analysed on a highly critical worldwide basis from social media, wouldn’t you be cautious? It is a pressure very few of us understand.
Helping to plant a garden at a cancer centre, and meeting fellow patients, the Princess was heard to explain the mental and physical side effects she had experienced, and what a challenge it had been to get back to anything resembling normal.
‘You think the treatment has finished, and you can crack on and get back to normal, but that’s still a real challenge,’ she said.
‘Sometimes from the outside we all think you’ve finished treatment and you go back to things. But it’s hard to get back to normal.’
Her carol concert, attended by Prince William, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, serves to highlight how she is balancing her family life with royal duties.
Next week also sees the German State Visit, the first to the UK for 27 years, when President Frank-Walter Steinheimer will be wined and dined at a glittering Windsor Castle.
Expect more tiaras, which I’ll cover in the next installment!
