On Wednesday evening, Catherine hosted a glamorous celebratory extravaganza at the holy Westminster Abbey in central London – a moment that subtly showed the future of the monarchy.
With the ornate Gothic church adorned with twinkling Christmas trees, Kate gave a warm welcome to the unsung heroes of the UK’s pandemic response. The choice of a location so deeply woven into the history of the monarchy shows how far Kate has come. Westminster Abbey is known as a ‘Royal Peculiar’, under the authority of a Dean and Chapter and subject only to the Sovereign. One of Britain’s most famous royal spaces, it’s where countless coronations, weddings and funerals have taken place. That Kate is allowed to use the abbey also indicates her spiritual devotion – an important quality to enhance if she one day becomes the wife of the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
And while William accompanied her to the event, he had a very supporting role. It is a break from the norm when the primary function of the royal spouse has been to assist the monarch – or, in this case, the future monarch. In recent decades, Prince Philip has mainly supported the Queen, and we have seen the Duchess of Cornwall behave similarly to Prince Charles. But William seems comfortable with showing Kate her own kind of leadership, and it’s yet another example of how she’s quietly modernizing from within the company.
If part of the royal role is about supporting the public and strengthening national unity, Kate’s Christmas concert was a textbook example.
The Evening of Christmas Carols is not an annual event, but rather an event led by the Duchess, who wanted to “celebrate life in our communities and illustrate how acts of kindness, empathy and love can nurture and reconnect us.”
Within the Order of Service, she reflected on the end of “another extraordinary year” and the “previously unimaginable challenges” of the past 18 months.
“We’ve been reminded of how powerful human connection is for all of us. How much we need each other,” Kate wrote in the foreword. “This Carol Service is our little way of recognizing the inspiring contribution so many of you have made.”
She added: “Christmas is a time when we can reflect on the past, listen to each other, focus on the relationships that nourish us and build our resilience so that we look forward to a better shared future. this Service creates a moment for us to do this together.”
The congregation was made up of guests nominated by their local communities, as well as representatives from many of the charities and patronages of the Queen and other members of the Royal Family. Also invited were soldiers involved in Operation Pitting, the British evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan.
The hour-long service, broadcast on the UK’s ITV network on Christmas Eve, featured a number of celebrity appearances, with musical performances by singers Ellie Goulding and Leona Lewis, while British Paralympic star Kim Daybell and “Harry Potter” star Tom Felton lectures.
Members of the Windsor clan came to the festivities to show their support for the Duchess’s big night, including Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Beatrice, the Countess of Wessex, and Zara and Mike Tindall.
Also making a rare public appearance were Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, along with her siblings, James and Pippa.
Much like the Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex in recent times, Kate routinely undertakes solo engagements, with royal onlookers praising her regal yet recognizable approach. The three were also widely acclaimed for performing their performance in the Queen’s absence during the Remembrance Day commemorations in November.
If the monarchy must continue to evolve to thrive, the qualities we see in Kate and the other senior women of the family are important. They have brought real awareness to the company, drawing on their own experiences as ‘ordinary people’.
We learn something about them from the charities they want to promote. They understand how the public perceives the royal family and can use that knowledge to help the monarchy adapt to the times.
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WHAT IS STILL HAPPENING
The Queen gets busy again, despite the doctor’s advice to rest.
Queen Elizabeth II didn’t make it to the Duchess of Cambridge’s Christmas carol concert, but she’s certainly not taking it easy back in Windsor. On the same day as Kate’s celebratory service, the 95-year-old monarch performed six engagements (three video calls, two face-to-face meetings and her weekly audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson). The busy day comes almost a month after she had to cancel a performance at the national Remembrance Service. She’s been on light duties while resting outside London, but the busy schedule shows she’s back to work, albeit without any travel amid her government’s latest work-from-home guidelines.
William opens Kensington Palace to teenage heroes.
The Duke of Cambridge welcomed teen award winners to Kensington Palace this week in recognition of “their dedication to helping others through their selfless, brave and exceptional achievements.” BBC Radio 1’s Teen Heroes is an annual celebration of young people who have done their best for others. This year’s winners included a 17-year-old who helped a person in danger of taking their own life, a 14-year-old bereavement fundraiser, and a 19-year-old caregiver who is also studying to become a nurse. It is the fifth year that William has invited young people to the royal house to personally congratulate the winners.
ROYAL TEA BREAK
NOT MISSING