How Kate's Christmas concert has come to define her legacy and why it's taken on a greater meaning after cancer fight

The Princess of Wales is preparing to host her Together at Christmas concert next week, an annual event that will, undoubtedly, define the 43-year-old's legacy.

Now, in their fifth year, the carols have taken on a deeper meaning for the princess and her family following the royal's cancer diagnosis and recovery.

The event will be held inside Westminster Abbey on Thursday December 5 and has become a mainstay on the princess' royal calendar.

Catherine wanted to "recognise and thank the many people around the country who are acting with love in their communities, contributing to a more cohesive and connected society" Kensington Palace said.

This year's theme will "bring people together to celebrate love in all its forms – whether it's love within families, through friendships, across communities, or even through powerful moments of connection with strangers".

The palace added: "In a world that can often feel fragmented and disconnected, love is the force that reconnects us all – spanning generations, communities, cultures, and faiths.

"As we approach the Christmas season, we are reminded of the power of togetherness. The evening will highlight the transformative power of investing in one another with compassion, presence, and joy."

The royal family at the Together at Christmas concert in 2022, just months after the change of throne.

The carol service, which is supported by the Royal Foundation, will see 1600 guests invited to the abbey with celebrities including the actors Kate Winslet, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Hannah Waddingham to give readings.

The concert has also become one of the royal family's largest public outings. Over the years those who have shown their support for the princess include King Charles and Queen Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Mike and Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and their children, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Kate's family, the Middletons, are also event regulars and sit near the princess close to the front of the abbey.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined their parents for the first time in 2021 and in 2023, Prince Louis attended the concert with his siblings. The trio sat front row with the Prince and Princess of Wales last year.

The Wales family at Westminster Abbey in 2023 for the Together at Christmas carols concert.

In mid-2024, palace aides had made it clear the Princess of Wales was determined to host the Christmas concert as she continued her recovery from chemotherapy.

Kate was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer earlier in the year following abdominal surgery in January.

She had been forced to step back from public life during treatment and completed a course of preventative chemotherapy in September.

Kate's diary was limited to the most important of public events: Trooping the Colour, Wimbledon, the Festival of Remembrance and Remembrance Sunday and the welcome ceremony for the Emir of Qatar during his state visit.

When she arrived at Westminster Abbey for the Christmas concert last December, the princess told the singer Paloma Faith: "I didn't know this time last year it was going to be the year I've just had".

That she made sure to host the concert after what had been an emotionally and physically draining year, let alone one filled with uncertainty for her and her family, was evidence of the event's importance to the princess.

This January, Kate announced she was in remission and 2025 has appeared almost normal – her diary has been consistently busy, though with a few absences from some events here and there.

She was also absent from the recent Diplomatic Corp reception inside Windsor Castle last week.

But the princess has certainly exceeded the public's expectations with just how much she has done.

In announcing the end of her chemotherapy last September, Kate said she was "looking forward to undertaking a few more public engagements" when her health allowed.

Her events are now selected more carefully than ever, to ensure she does not exert herself too much while allowing her to focus on what matters most: not just in terms of work, but family.

Prince William recently gave an insight into the Wales' family life and how their lives have been impacted by the cancer diagnoses of both his wife and father, King Charles.

The prince said he and Kate had chosen to tell their children "everything", because "hiding stuff from them doesn't work".

Kate hosted the concert last year after her cancer diagnosis and recovery from chemotherapy.

"Sometimes you feel you're oversharing with the children."

He added: "Every family has its own difficulties and its own challenges and I think it's very individual and sort of moment-dependent as to how you deal with those problems."

The careful balance of duty and being a parent is one the couple has been doing for some time but priorities are now more family-focused since the princess' cancer battle.

William joked that he was the family's "taxi driver".

"I mean, Catherine and I share it. She probably does the bulk of it," he said.

"Trying to sort of balance protecting the children, Catherine… my father needs a bit of protection, but you know, he's old enough to do that himself as well," William said.

"Everything is progressing in the right way, which is all good news," he said of Catherine's recovery.

While it was largely expected the princess' Christmas concert would be held in 2025, its inclusion on the calendar for the fifth year in a row proves how special it is to Kate.

That she chose to theme the celebration around love is another indication of where her head, and heart, are.

The event is also a favourite among royal watchers and Kate's fanbase, all over the world.

It also heralds in the winding down of royal duties before they take a short break over Christmas.

After the concert, the Wales' are expected to join the King and Queen for Christmas at Sandringham, continuing a long tradition beloved by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Tradition and continuity are two of the royal family's most enduring themes.

And the Princess of Wales has firmly cemented her place in the royal family's festive traditions with Together at Christmas – may there be many more.

The concert will air on Christmas Eve and be shown again on Christmas Day.

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