Her Royal Highness's Traditional Festive Musical Celebration Honours Unsung Heroes
Catherine, Princess of Wales, is presiding over her annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey, with attendees featuring dignitaries, stars, and everyday helpers who have helped their communities.
The sizable congregation will enjoy a mix of traditional hymns, orchestral pieces, and literary excerpts from actors such as Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Centred Around Compassion and Love
The central message of the concert, held in the atmospheric historic church on Friday, is compassion and demonstrating care for others.
Among the guests will be Jonathan and Anna Cordiner, whose daughter died of a tumour, and who established a foundation, a charity called Kayleigh's Wee Stars, to help households where there is a terminally ill child.
"Your efforts, love, and understanding, often discreetly and without words, and without any hope for reward or acknowledgement, make an remarkable change to the circumstances of individuals," wrote Catherine in a letter ahead of the carol service.
A Gradual Return
The princess has been making her own gradual return to the public eye subsequent to her illness and medical care, in November making her initial major address in two years, in which she talked about recognising the "selfless, commonly overlooked efforts of carers".
Performance and Potential
Those coming to the Abbey will be entertained by young musicians aided by the charitable trust Future Talent, established in part by the late Duchess of Kent to increase availability of music lessons.
Trumpeter Carys Wood, 18, who plays the trumpet and is from Wales, has been supported by the trust, with funding assisting with musical instruments, lessons and travel costs - and she said it was "amazing" to be performing at the concert.
"Pursuing music is often costly," Carys said. She is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music, and added that "each individual ought to be given the possibility" to develop their musical skills.
A Sisterly Duo
Carys's 11-year-old sister, Eliza, who is a euphonium player, will also be at the Abbey. "It's unbelievable that I get to perform here in front of so many notable figures," she said.
Within the audience will be people from various age groups.
That will feature Saphia Turner, aged nine, recipient of a young hero award, who sells artwork and carries out sponsored challenges to collect donations for community pantries.
Yuletide Atmosphere and Acts
The Abbey has been festooned with handcrafted festive wreaths, with celebrity baker Mary Berry and floral designer Simon Lycett assisting in their creation.
Taking to the stage will be recording artist Katie Melua, the Abbey's own choir and a Cornish sea shanty group, the Fisherman's Friends, who said the chance to take part was "the icing on the cake for us."
The festive event titled 'Together at Christmas' will be aired by a major network on Christmas Eve.
