Princess Kate will once again host the annual “Together at Christmas” Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on Friday 5 December, Kensington Palace has announced today, chosen deliberately to coincide with World Kindness Day.
The service, now entering its fifth year, will bring people together to celebrate love in all its forms — within families, across friendships, between communities and even through striking moments of connection with strangers.
The message underscores the Princess’s commitment to compassion, unity and joy in a world that can often feel fragmented and disconnected.
In a departure from previous years, the evening will blend traditional church carols with modern performances designed to reflect the diversity of faiths and cultures across Britain.
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The renowned Westminster Abbey Choir will lead many of the nation-favourite carols, while readings and musical contributions will come from luminaries including Hannah Waddingham, Dan Smith of Bastille, Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
In keeping with the community focus, young performers drawn from Future Talent — a charity co-founded by the late Duchess of Kent to support musically gifted children from low-income backgrounds — will provide music for guests as they arrive at the Abbey.
Katharine, Duchess of Kent died on September 4, and her funeral, attended by the entire Royal Family, was held on September 16.
Outside the historic Abbey, plantsman and horticulturist Jamie Butterworth will create a bespoke festive natural environment for arriving guests.
Kate confirms Christmas concert details with Duchess of Kent tribute in Palace announcement
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Meanwhile, the Royal Horticultural Society has donated wreaths made in collaboration with its Ambassadors and schoolchildren for display inside the Abbey.
As in previous years, the main service will be complemented by 15 ‘Together at Christmas’ community carol services across the UK, supported by The Royal Foundation and hosted locally by Lord-Lieutenants.
These events will take place in venues including the Coronation Street Visitor Centre, a community arts centre in Newbury and a community farm in Gwent.
The theme of this year’s service — “celebrating love in all its forms” — builds on the Princess’s consistent emphasis on kindness, empathy and community.
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Kate launched the carol service in 2021 and it has since become a yearly tradition
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Last year’s service welcomed more than 1,600 guests and featured a “Kindness Tree” on which attendees hung handwritten messages of gratitude.
Kate has insisted the service should be “for people of all faiths and none”, noting that love “spans generations, communities, cultures and faiths”.
Kensington Palace emphasised that this year the service will highlight “the transformative power of investing in one another with compassion, presence and joy”.
Kate and Prince William have frequently brought their children to the carol service, pictured here in 2022
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With the run-up to 2025’s carol service coinciding with World Kindness Day, the timing underscores the Princess’s message that small acts of care and connection are both meaningful and unifying.
The Westminster Abbey setting — one of the UK’s most iconic religious and national spaces — underlines the Royal Family’s continued engagement with the nation’s cultural and spiritual life.
Kate's “Together at Christmas” Carol Service will be broadcast on ITV on Christmas Eve. GB News will carry further coverage of the event, including a list of guests and any Royal Family participation, closer to the date.