The Duchess of Cambridge has given fans a sneak peek at a community carol service where she appears to have played the piano publicly for the first time.
Kate Middleton hosted the event, Royal Carols: Together At Christmas at Westminster Abbey, on 8 December to thank people who have supported their communities throughout the pandemic.
In a clip teasing the broadcast of the service on ITV on Christmas Eve, the duchess is seen sitting down in front of a piano in the cathedral, flanked by lit candles.
The clip, shared across the Duke and Duchess’ social media channels, was captioned: “Tonight. ITV. 7.30pm. #TogetherAtChristmas.”
In a recorded introduction to the service, Kate paid tribute to the “inspirational” people who served their communities during the “bleak time” of the pandemic.
She said: “We wanted to say a huge thank you to all those amazing people out there who have supported their communities.
“We also wanted to recognise those whose struggles perhaps have been less visible too.”
The duchess acknowledged the “many challenges” faced by the British public, including the loss of loved ones and frontline workers facing “immense pressure”.
She added that although people had been “more emotionally and socially distanced and isolated from each other”, it helped people realise “how much we need each other” and the importance of being kind to one another.
Kate said: “In the congregation we’ve got many inspirational individuals. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude for all they’ve done in bringing people together and supporting their communities.”
Those attending the service included people Kate and William had spent time with during recent engagements, as well as members of the armed forces involved in Operation Pitting to evacuate British nationals and Afghans from Afghanistan, young carers, and faith leaders.
Vulnerable people who may have been more isolated than others during the pandemic were also invited to the service.
The service includes music from the Westminster Abbey choir, singers Leona Lewis, Ellie Goulding and Tom Walker, who performed his Christmas single “For Those Who Can’t Be Here”.
The Duke of Cambridge, as well as other public figures including British Paralympian and junior doctor Kim Daybell, actor Tom Felton and TV presenter Kate Garraway all gave readings during the service.
Attendees were also treated to a performance of “To The Day”, a special piece created for the service by poet and writer Lemn Sissay.
Additional reporting by PA
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