Emma Rossiterand
Hafsa Khalil
The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte have performed a piano duet together for a Christmas carol service.
The mother and daughter did not appear live at the Together at Christmas event at Westminster Abbey earlier this month.
Their performance of a piece of music by Scottish composer Erland Cooper was pre-recorded at Windsor Castle last week specifically for the event’s Christmas Eve broadcast on ITV1.
Kensington Palace had teased the clip ahead of the programme with a video of Catherine and a then unknown person playing the piano captioned “a special duet…”.
Kensington PalaceIn the clip, the pair can be seen sitting together at the piano to play Holm Sound, a piece they are understood to know well and have enjoyed playing together at home.
The Princess of Wales used only her left hand, while Charlotte played with just her right in Windsor Castle’s Inner Hall.
As they performed, footage was shown of guests arriving for the carol service – with the Prince of Wales and Catherine watching as their children tied paper chains bearing their names on a “connection tree” outside the abbey.
Narrating the video, Catherine says: “At its heart, Christmas speaks of love taking form in the simplest, most human ways.
“Not in sentimental or grand gestures, but gentle ones. A moment of listening, a word of comfort, a friendly conversation, a helping hand, presence.
“These simple acts of care might seem small but they contribute to the beautiful tapestry of life to which we all belong.”
This is not the first time Catherine – who has passed her grade three piano and grade five theory – has played at a carol service.
At the inaugural event in 2021, she surprised audiences by accompanying singer-songwriter Tom Walker on piano as he sang his Christmas song, For Those Who Can’t Be Here.
Organisers said this year’s theme – to celebrate the “power of love and togetherness” in recognition of people across the country who contribute to society – was picked because people will be able to celebrate love in all forms in a world that can often feel fragmented and disconnected.
It is understood that Catherine wanted to include the special performance to highlight the importance of connections.
“The time, care and compassion you give, often quietly and unspoken, and without any expectation or recognition, make an extraordinary difference to the lives of others,” Catherine wrote in a letter that accompanied every order of service.
As well as the mother-daughter duet, the 1,600 guests – ranging from royals to celebrities and local heroes – experienced a mixture of traditional and modern elements to include people of all faiths and none.
Poems were read aloud by actors such as Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor, while musical performances were given by the likes of Katie Melua, Dan Smith and Zac Abel.
The Prince of Wales gave a Bible reading from the pulpit.
Princess Charlotte and her brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis were also in attendance at the service.