Kate Middleton Looks Ready for Christmas in Promo for Her New Holiday Tradition

Kate Middleton is counting down to her Christmas carol concert.

On Thursday evening, the Princess of Wales, 41, shared a special message about the festive event in a pre-recorded promo that aired on ITV1 in the U.K. On Friday, Princess Kate will host her third annual Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey before the event is broadcast on Christmas Eve. The show is linked to her Shaping Us campaign from the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and will highlight her early years initiative, launched in January.

"Join me this Christmas Eve for a special carol service as we say a heartfelt thank you to all those supporting the very youngest members of our society during those crucial early years,” Princess Kate said in the message that aired on ITV1. The spot was filmed before a grand Christmas tree and candles, and Kate shimmered in a white outfit with pearl details.

Princess Kate, Prince William and other members of the royal family will step out tomorrow for the service. The television broadcast on Christmas Eve will feature additional content including an introduction from the Princess of Wales, films that highlight the importance of early childhood and celebrations of the contributions people in our communities are making to support the very youngest members of our society during those crucial early years.

Kate spearheaded and hosted the first Royal Carols: Together at Christmas concert in December 2021 to pay tribute to the incredible work of individuals and organizations across the U.K. who supported their communities through the COVID pandemic. She organized the event at Westminster Abbey (her 2011 wedding venue!) with the support of the Royal Foundation. 

Kate has since turned the show into an annual event, slightly shifting the theme each year. Last year’s rendition honored Queen Elizabeth following her death in September 2022, and Kensington Palace said the Shaping Us-linked service will “showcase the hope of new life and why it is so important to build supportive, nurturing worlds around children and the adults in their lives.” 

This year’s musical lineup includes the Westminster Abbey choir and performances by Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight, Jacob Collier, Freya Ridings and James Bay, plus readings by Prince William and Shaping Us campaign champion Roman Kemp, among others.

According to the palace, those invited to the upcoming concert were nominated by local Lord-Lieutenants, as well as charities affiliated with members of the royal family. Others have been invited for their work in the early years sector, a key focus of Princess Kate’s work through The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which she established in June 2021 under the umbrella of the larger philanthropic Royal Foundation she shares with Prince William.

Extending the guest list, the concert will also welcome “those who may have had a challenging year, including children and families, or those who might find the winter period difficult.”

Raising anticipation around the celebration, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ team gave a peek at some guests reacting to receiving their invites in an upbeat video shared to social media on Thursday.

"Invites at the ready!" the clip was captioned. "Looking forward to tomorrow’s Carol Service with @earlychildhood and welcoming so many of you who make such a difference to children and families in communities across the country #ShapingUs."

Guests were filmed opening and reading their invitations, which were topped with Kate's royal cypher, a "C" for "Catherine" (her full name) topped with a crown.

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The card also mentioned some important info: the dress code. As in past years, the guidance for dress is "smart (no hats)."

“No hats, noted,” Dr. Alex George joked in the video, pointing to his baseball cap.

Royal Carols: Together at Christmas is on Christmas Eve at 7:45 p.m. on ITV1 and ITVX.