Catherine's Yearly Festive Carol Concert Honours Community Volunteers

Her Royal Highness has organised her annual Yuletide celebration at the historic Abbey, with guests including royals, celebrities and local heroes who have helped their communities.

The sizable congregation will listen to a blend of carols, music and readings from actors such as Chiwetel Ejiofor and Kate Winslet.

A Theme of Kindness and Compassion

The theme of the service, held in the candle-lit Abbey on the afternoon, is compassion and demonstrating care for others.

Among the guests will be Jonathan and Anna Cordiner, whose young girl was lost to a brain tumour, and who set up a charity, a support fund, to help households where there is a child with a terminal illness.

"The dedication, empathy, and kindness you show, often without fanfare or recognition, and without any expectation or recognition, make an remarkable change to the lives of others," Her Royal Highness stated in a letter ahead of the carol service.

A Steady Comeback

The princess has been making her own steady comeback to official duties after her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy, in November making her first public speech for two years, in which she reflected on recognising the "quiet, often invisible work of caring".

Music and Opportunity

Attendees entering the Abbey will be entertained by young musicians backed by the charitable trust Future Talent, set up with the help of the former royal to widen access to musical tuition.

Trumpeter Carys Wood, 18, who is a trumpet player and is from Pembrokeshire, has been helped by the trust, with awards contributing to equipment, teaching, and travel fees - and she said it was "incredible" to be taking part in the concert.

"Music can be very expensive," she stated. She is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music, and added that "all people deserve the chance" to hone their artistic talents.

A Family Affair

Carys's 11-year-old sister, Eliza, who performs on the brass instrument, will be present at the Abbey. "It's unbelievable that I get to perform here in front of so many notable figures," she said.

Among the guests will be individuals spanning multiple eras.

That will feature young Saphia Turner, nine, recipient of a young hero award, who produces drawings and undertakes charity feats to raise money for local food charities.

Yuletide Atmosphere and Acts

The Abbey has been festooned with handcrafted festive wreaths, with celebrity baker Mary Berry and floral designer Simon Lycett contributing to their design.

The musical lineup includes singer Katie Melua, choristers from Westminster Abbey and a maritime folk band from Cornwall, the Fisherman's Friends, who said the opportunity to perform was "a dream come true."

The Together at Christmas carol concert will be broadcast on television on December 24th.