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Even members of the royal family were surprised by certain aspects of Princess Kate Middleton’s “Together at Christmas” carol service.
Kate, 42, hosted the holiday concert on Friday, December 6, at Westminster Abbey, featuring an array of musical performances. At one point, a ballet troupe performed for the attendees, which included Kate, husband Prince William and their three children. William, 42, and Kate share Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.
“Louis knew about the dancers and was talking about them over tea,” Kate recalled to guests in footage shared by Sky News. “He said, ‘What’s the secret?’ I said, ‘Louis, can you keep a secret? Because I want it to be a surprise for Charlotte, who loves her ballet [classes].’”
According to Kate, her 6-year-old promised not to “say anything” to his older sister ahead of the concert.
“And he’s kept the secret,” she marveled to members of the dance company. “This is what, for, maybe, two weeks? For a six-year-old! Then, this morning, he said, ‘Mummy, please can I tell her? I’m bursting.’”
Kate added, “I did the [school] drop-off and he really wanted to tell her, but, I think hopefully he has kept it. I don’t think he has said anything. I asked her just before we left, ‘Do you know what the surprise is?’ And she said, ‘No.’”
Kate and Charlotte twinned in red coat dresses for the occasion, while William and the boys opted for navy suits with maroon ties.
Kate has helmed a “Together at Christmas” concert for several years, but this iteration came after a challenging time. The Princess of Wales was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year, completing a round of chemotherapy treatment in September.
“I didn’t know this year was going to be the year that I’ve just had,” Kate noted on Friday. “The unplanned … but I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times, many who are here today.”
To mark the occasion, Kate also left special letters for guests.
“Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year,” Kate wrote in her note. “It is a time for celebration and joy, but it also gives us the opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all. It is when we stop and take ourselves away from the pressures of daily life, that we find the space to live our lives with an open heart, with love, kindness and forgiveness — so much of what the Christmas spirit is all about.”
She concluded, “Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times. We all have something we can offer one another. Gentle words or a receptive ear, an arm around an exhausted shoulder, or silently being by someone’s side.”
