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Topics: Kate Middleton, Royal Family, Christmas, UK News, Music, Celebrity
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Kate Middleton, Royal Family, Christmas, UK News, Music, Celebrity
It's that time of year again when the Princess of Wales gears up for her annual Christmas concert.
The fifth edition of the 'Together at Christmas' carol service will again be held at Westminster Abbey in London early doors next month (5 December).
Kensington Palace announced what would be involved in this year's proceedings, with an official statement revealing that the theme for this year's event is 'love in all its forms'.
"This year, the Service will bring people together to celebrate love in all its forms — whether it’s love within families, through friendships, across communities or even through powerful moments of connection with strangers," the statement said.
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"In a world that can often feel fragmented and disconnected, love is the force that reconnects us all – spanning generations, communities, cultures and faiths.
"Combining traditional and modern elements to encompass people of all faiths and none, the service will see the world-renowned Westminster Abbey choir sing some of the nation’s most beloved carols, alongside musical performances and readings."
Such celebrity guests named in the programme included Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham, Bastille singer Dan Smith, Titanic actress Kate Winslet, and 12 Years a Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor.
"The Service will also showcase stories of some of the incredible guests in the congregation, who are leading by example and helping to create a more connected society," the statement continued.
"As we approach the Christmas season, we are reminded of the power of togetherness. The evening will highlight the transformative power of investing in one another with compassion, presence and joy."
According to the BBC, 15 similar community carol services will take place across the UK, based on the same theme of love, including a community farm in Gwent, Wales, and an arts centre in Newbury.
The show will be broadcast on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Kate spearheaded the 'Together at Christmas' Carol Service in 2021 as a tribute to those who went above and beyond for others during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the event continuing ever since.
Last year, she and her husband, Prince William, brought along their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, to the event.
While the likes of King Charles III and Queen Camilla remained at home - both getting over health woes - several other members of the institution showed up to the special event.
However, spectators noticed that one regular attendee was missing from the guest list.
People were quick to notice that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was missing from the event and, according to royal columnist Ephraim Hardcastle, Kate decided not to invite her uncle-in-law.
Hardcastle explained that, whilst Charles may have extended an invitation for Andrew to spend Christmas with him and Camilla in Sandringham last year, the Waleses decided to keep their distance.
"William and Kate aren't sharing the love," he penned. "A mole whispers that for the second year running, suggestions that Andrew be invited to Kate's annual carol service, possibly seated behind a pillar, were rejected."
The royal expert added: "Although very much a family affair... there was no space for Uncle Andy."
Last month, it was announced by Buckingham Palace that King Charles had decided to strip Andrew of his royal titles and styles following new revelations in relation to his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, of which Andrew has continuously denied.
Tyla has previously reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.