The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children have attended the Together at Christmas carol service where they were joined by Hollywood stars.
But the focus of Kate‘s annual service at Westminster Abbey was the UK’s local communities and the princess took the time beforehand to thank volunteers from across the country.
Her smartly-dressed children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, hung loops of red paper bearing their handwritten names on a “Connection Tree”.
The tree represents togetherness and the importance of moments of connection, and was covered with paper chains, created as each guest left a loop with their name. It tied in with theme of this year’s service which was celebrating love in all its forms.
Kate arrived at the abbey without her family before the service and met some of the stars performing or giving readings, including Hollywood actors Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor and singer Katie Melua.
The royal children were later pictured holding candles with churchgoers during the service.
Among the congregation were Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, her brother James Middleton and wife Alizee Thevenet; Zara and Mike Tindall; the Duchess of Edinburgh; and Prince Michael of Kent, who arrived in a wheelchair.
Royal correspondent
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children have joined a congregation of celebrities, sporting stars and community stalwarts to celebrate love in all its forms at Christmas.
Kate is presiding over her annual Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey, with about 1,600 guests filling the pews where the princess and her husband married in 2011.
She arrived before the service to meet some of the stars performing or giving readings, including actress Kate Winslet and singer Katie Melua.
She told Dan Smith, lead singer with Bastille, that her children had been looking forward to the service: “They’re really excited, it’s become such a tradition.”
When Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, arrived with their father, Kate was there to meet them.
Outside the Abbey’s great west door the family stopped at a “Connection Tree” decorated with paper chains bearing the names of guests.
The children added their names to the tree, a symbol of togetherness and the importance of moments of connection.
The service recognised individuals from across the UK who may have dedicated or volunteered their time to others, led initiatives that bring people in their community together, or offered a helping hand to those around them.
Celebrity chef Dame Mary Berry, who created a Christmas wreath on display in the abbey, was also among the guests, alongside members of the Lionesses and the Red Roses – England’s women’s football and rugby union teams.
Kate expressed her appreciation to the performers when they met before the service, and she thanked Ms Winslet and Mr Ejiofor, who both later gave readings, and told Cornish folk singers Fisherman’s Friends: “I’m sure you’ll be brilliant, thank you so much.”
The Princess added: “It’s a busy time I know for everybody.”
Kate also shared a joke with Schitt’s Creek star Eugene Levy at the service.
“I should stand. Lovely to meet you, Catherine,” said Mr Levy, as they continued to hold hands.
“You know my husband very well then,” said Kate.
Mr Levy replied: “I spent a lovely day with your husband.”
Follow our channel and never miss an update.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
Fisherman’s Friends band member Jeremy Brown, who is a lobster fisherman, praised Kate for staging the event, now in its fifth year.
He said: “She does fantastic work for all these people and and we like to think we can just be part of that. If we can make somebody smile, we’re happy to do that.”
Among the community stalwarts invited was Ann Davies, 81, 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.
Ms Davies from Teesside also volunteers as a responsible adult at Middlesbrough police station, supporting vulnerable people who have been arrested.
She said: “The thing about volunteer work is you do it without expecting anything in return, you do it because you love it.”
