The Princess of Wales attended her annual Christmas carol service with her family at Westminster Abbey this evening – as Prince Louis left a message for his grandparents on the “kindness tree”.
Kate, 42, was joined by her family, including the Prince of Wales, 42, and their children George, 11, Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six.
William and the royal children arrived after visiting the “kindness tree” by the abbey’s great west door and hung messages on its branches dedicated to someone who had supported them in their lives in keeping with the service’s theme of love and empathy.
They all arrived clutching their red tags and Louis’ could be seen with the handwritten words: “Thank you to granny and grandpa because they have played games with me.”
Image: William, Kate and their children sing along to the carols.
Pic: PA
Image: William and Kate by the Kindness tree with their children. Pic: Reuters
Kate was pictured welcoming her guests and talking to attendees, all 1,600 of whom received their invites as they had supported others in some way.
The princess, who has been hosting the Together at Christmas Carol service for the past four years, announced last monthshe had completed chemotherapy treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.
Image: Prince Louis with his mother, Kate. Pic: PA
Image: Prince William arrives for the service with Charlotte, George and Louis. Pic: Reuters
She has been gradually returning to public duties after revealing in March how after an operation tests had found cancer had been present and in September that she had finished chemotherapy treatment.
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In a health update in September, Kate said she had finished the treatment and her focus was to “stay cancer-free”.
During her interaction with Paloma Faith, one of tonight’s performers, the princess said: “I didn’t know this year was going to be the year that I’ve just had.”
She added: “But I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times, many who are here today.”
The princess then thanked the singer for agreeing to perform at the service and said: “I know as a mum it’s hard pulling yourself away, the juggling.”
Image: The Princess of Wales talks with Paloma Faith at Westminster Abbey. Pic: Reuters
Image: Kate with an attendee of the Together At Christmas event. Pic: Reuters
The princess then went on to share a sweet anecdote about her youngest child, Louis, who she said had been desperate to tell his sister about dancers performing during tonight’s event.
“I said ‘Louis can you keep a secret because I want it to be a surprise for Charlotte’, who loves her ballet, and he said ‘promise, promise I won’t say anything’, and he’s kept the secret.”
But as she did the school drop off this morning, Kate said he asked: “Mummy please can I tell her, I’m bursting.”
The princess added she hoped he managed to keep the secret.
Image: William and Kate with their children at the annual carol service. Pic: Reuters
In a message sent ahead of the service, Kate said Christmas is a moment of “celebration and joy” as well as an “opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all”.
She added: “Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year.”
In November, she joined other senior royals for Remembrance Day services, while in October she made a surprise visit to the families of the victims of the Southport attack.
Image: Kate with Gregory Porter, Olivia Dean and Paloma Faith. Pic: Reuters
In her letter to the carol-goers, Kate seemed to hint toward the struggles the Royal Family has faced over the past year, with the King also being diagnosed with cancer.
“Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times,” she wrote.
Singer Gregory Porter was also expected to perform during tonight’s event.
Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy, who is terminally ill with prostate cancer, will light a candle as will Lindsey Burrow, the wife of former Rugby League star Rob Burrow who died in June with motor neurone disease.
The event will be broadcast as part of the programme Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, screened on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve, and it will feature three films about the stories of people and organisations who have inspired, counselled and comforted others in their times of need.
But what about his style ‘prince’? Some want that ditched too.
It’s a complicated but not impossible process. Andrew could, of course, just stop using it voluntarily.
Some want him to give up his home, too. For a non-working royal, the stately Royal Lodge, with its plum position on the Windsor Estate, is an uncomfortable optic.
With the reputation of the monarchy at risk, William does not want to appear weak. He’s putting loyalty to “the firm” firmly above his familial relationships.
Prince Andrew has always strongly denied the allegations, and restated on Friday: “I vigorously deny the accusations against me”. Sky News has approached him for comment on the fresh allegations set out in the Mail on Sunday.
But with Virginia Giuffre’s tragic death and posthumous memoir due out on Tuesday, Buckingham Palace will be braced for more scandal.
When Andrew gave up his titles, there was certainly a sense of relief.
There is now a sense of dread over what else could emerge.
Sky News’ royal commentator has explained why Prince Andrew has not given up being called a prince – while another expert has said “the decent thing” for him to do would be “go into exile” overseas.
Andrew announced on Friday that he would stop using his Duke of York title and relinquish all other honours, including his role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
However, he will continue to be known as a prince.
Royal commentator Alastair Bruce said that while Andrew’s other honours and titles were conferred to him later in life, he became a prince when he was born to Elizabeth II while she was queen.
He told presenter Kamali Melbourne: “I think […] that style was quite special to the late Queen,” he said. “And perhaps the King, for the moment, thinks that can be left alone.
“It’s a matter really for the King, for the royal household, perhaps with the guidance and advice of government, which I’m sure they are taking.”
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2:49
Who pushed Andrew to drop his titles?
Since Andrew’s announcement, there has been speculation over whether any further measures will be taken – and one author has now called for him to “go into exile”.
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Andrew Lownie, author of The Rise And Fall Of The House Of York, said: “The only way the story will go away is if he leaves Royal Lodge, goes into exile abroad with his ex-wife, and is basically stripped of all his honours, including Prince Andrew.”
Royal Lodge is the Windsor mansion Andrew lives in with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who has also lost her Duchess of York title.
Image: Andrew and his former wife continue to live on the Windsor estate. Pic: Reuters
Mr Lownie continued: “He makes out he’s an honourable man and he’s putting country and family first. Well, if he is, then the optics look terrible for the monarchy. A non-working royal in a 30-room Crown Estate property with a peppercorn rent.
“He should do the decent thing and go. And frankly, he should go into exile.”
Mr Lownie added if the Royal Family “genuinely want to cut links, they have to put pressure on him to voluntarily get out”.
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1:11
Windsor’s take on Prince Andrew
Andrew’s decision to stop using his titles was announced amid renewed scrutiny of his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and fresh stories linked to the late Virginia Giuffre.
Ms Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein, alleged she was sexually assaulted by Andrew on three occasions – which he has always vigorously denied.
Bereaved families whose loved ones took their own lives after buying the same poison online have written to the prime minister demanding urgent action.
Warning: This article contains references to suicide
The group claims there have been “multiple missed opportunities” to shut down online forums that promote suicide and dangerous substances.
They warn that over 100 people have died after purchasing a particular poison in the last 10 years.
Among those who have written to Downing Street is Pete Aitken, whose daughter Hannah was 22 when she took her own life after buying the poison from a website.
Hannah was autistic and had ADHD. She was treated in six different mental health hospitals over a four-year period.
He said: “Autistic people seem to be most vulnerable to this kind of sort of poison and, you know, wanting to take their lives.”
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4:05
Pete Aitken speaking to Sky News
Sky News is not naming the poison, but Hannah was able to buy a kilogram of it online. Just one gram is potentially fatal.
“There’s this disparity between the concentration required for its legitimate use and that required for ending your life. And it seems quite clear you could make a distinction,” Mr Aitken said.
Analysis from the Molly Rose Foundation and the group Families and Survivors to Prevent Online Suicide Harms says at least 133 people have died because of the poison. It also says coroners have written warnings about the substance on 65 separate occasions.
The report accuses the Home Office of failing to strengthen the regulation of the poison and says not enough is being done to close dangerous suicide forums online.
Lawyers representing the group want a public inquiry into the deaths.
In a joint letter to the prime minister, the families said: “We write as families whose loved ones were let down by a state that was too slow to respond to the threat.
“This series of failings requires a statutory response, not just to understand why our loved ones died but also to prevent more lives being lost in a similar way.”
The group’s lawyer, Merry Varney, from Leigh Day, said: “The government is rightly committed to preventing deaths through suicide, yet despite repeated warnings of the risks posed by an easily accessible substance, fatal in small quantities and essentially advertised on online forums, no meaningful steps have been taken.”
Image: Hannah’s dad is one of the family members to have signed the letter
A government spokesperson said: “Suicide devastates families and we are unequivocal about the responsibilities online services have to keep people safe on their platforms.
“Under the Online Safety Act, services must take action to prevent users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content and ensure children are protected from harmful content that promotes it.
“If they fail to do so, they can expect to face robust enforcement, including substantial fines.”
They added that the position is “closely monitored and reportable under the Poisons Act, meaning retailers must alert authorities if they suspect it is being bought to cause harm”.
“We will continue to keep dangerous substances under review to ensure the right safeguards are in place,” they said.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.