Kate Middleton has penned a reflective letter, which will be given to the 1,600 guests attending Westminster Abbey for her “Together at Christmas” carol service. In the address, Catherine implored the public to “turn to love, not fear,” even in what she described as “the darkest times.”
It is no wonder that empathy and the importance of human connection have been on the princess’s mind as she looks back on 2024. It has been, as Prince William declared, a “brutal” year for the Wales family. Catherine announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer in March, following major abdominal surgery, then stepped back from the public eye to undergo chemotherapy treatment. As such, her decision to host her fourth annual Christmas carol concert has been viewed as a milestone return to royal duties. But what might this highly personal message tell us about how the Princess of Wales has viewed this most challenging of years?
“Christmas is my favorite time of the year,” wrote the Princess of Wales in the letter, which concertgoers will receive alongside the order of service on Friday. “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.”
She continued, focusing on how stepping back from daily life might encourage us to look inward to the more vulnerable sides of ourselves and re-focus on what we can offer to others. “The Christmas story encourages us to consider the experiences and feelings of others,” Catherine wrote. “It also reflects our own vulnerabilities and reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving empathy, as well as just how much we need each other in spite of our differences.”
The princess then opened up about the importance of love, in a message that many will read as a personal insight into her own personal development this year, as well as how her own family helped her through her chemotherapy treatment. “Above all else,” she wrote of the Christmas story, “it encourages us to turn to love, not fear. The love that we show ourselves and the love we show others. Love that listens with empathy, love that is kind and understanding, love that is forgiving, and love that brings joy and hope.”
She added: ‘“It is this love which is the greatest gift we can receive. Not just at Christmas, but every day of our lives. Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times.”
Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Princess Charlotte attend the “Together at Christmas” carol service at Westminster Abbey on December 8, 2023.
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