Viewers tuning in to Kate’s Christmas Eve carol concert were in for a pleasant surprise on Wednesday.
The Princess of Wales was joined by her daughter, Princess Charlotte, for a piano duet during the opening of the show.
Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, which is now in its fifth year, opened with the Princess and 10-year-old Charlotte playing Holm Sound by award-winning Scottish composer and multi-instrumentalist, Erland Cooper.
Cooper composed the piece during the Coronavirus pandemic, and it was dedicated to his mum, also called Charlotte.
According to The Telegraph, Cooper shares a deep love of the natural world with the Princess, something that first brought his work to her attention. The Princess later wrote to the composer to express her appreciation for his music and thank him for his dedication to promoting nature through his art.
During their correspondence, the Princess told Cooper that she enjoyed teaching his music to her daughter at home, creating a special bond between them—an idea that would eventually grow into the piano duet seen during the carol service.
The Telegraph also reports that Cooper joined the duo earlier in December at the Princess’s request, to film the segment.
Cooper, 43, said: “We had a very warm, creative conversation earlier in the year, which was lovely, and then it culminated with an invitation to Windsor Castle. The Princess asked: ‘Would it be OK if we perform this piece of music that we so enjoy together?’
“It was such a lovely request so I said absolutely, no problem at all. I was invited to witness this incredible bond between mother and daughter performing together and for that I am so grateful.
The performance was filmed in the Inner Hall at Windsor Castle on the 17th of December and formed part of the introduction to the carol service, broadcast this evening.
Over the footage, Kate delivered a spoken message about love, community and the small acts of kindness that bind people together—taken from the letter she wrote for attendees.
Earlier in the day, Kensington Palace had teased the moment with a short clip showing two sets of hands resting on a piano, captioned simply: “A special duet…”. The understated preview sparked curiosity among royal watchers, many of whom correctly guessed that Princess Charlotte would be the mystery accompanist.
Kate has previously performed as part of the carol service, having taken to the piano in 2021 to accompany singer Tom Walker during the performance (below).
Since its launch during the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, Together at Christmas has become a much-loved fixture in the Christmas Eve television schedule.
This year’s carol service was filmed on the 5th of December at Westminster Abbey. I have a write up of Kate’s outfit on that occasion, here.
Now let’s take a look at (what we can see of) Kate’s outfit during the piano duet.
Kate’s outfit:
In the filmed segment, the Princess appears to be wearing a teal velvet dress.
It looks more blue in some photos, more green in others.
The piece has three-quarter length sleeves with a sort of frilled, ruffled cuff. I think the skirt is tiered too, it appears so, if you look at her knee, next to the piano:
At the time of writing, the garment has not yet been identified. I’ll update this post if further details emerge.
The Princess accessorised with her gold ‘Fern’ leaf earrings by Catherine Zoraida, a familiar favourite.
Kate debuted the earrings during a visit to Northern Ireland in 2020 and wore them frequently for pandemic-era Zoom engagements, as well as on several occasions since.
Crafted from 18-carat gold-plated silver, the earrings retailed for £165 (they were around $200 USD in 2020 which is about $222 now).
Those hoping to buy the earrings will be disappointed, they’re out of stock. However, the designer offers a very similar style for £220, which you might like instead.
Kate finished her outfit with her Halcyon Days ‘Maya’ bangle.
The piece features a stylish twisted effect and is finished with aquamarine enamel cabochons.
The bangle is crafted from 18ct gold plated twisted brass. Halcyon Days describe it as lightweight, classic and as forming a “spectrum of elegance and opulence”.
The piece originally retailed for £110. It is no longer available to buy, unfortunately. (Though the company do offer a number of similar bangles.)
Kate first debuted the bangle at the launch of her 5 Big Questions survey in 2020. We’ve seen her wear it more than 10 times to date.
Charlotte’s outfit:
Princess Charlotte looked lovely in a navy blue jumper, which featured a scalloped collar trimmed with a cream stitch.
It’s from La Coqueta, the ‘Diano Marino Jumper’.
The piece is knitted from a pure, soft merino wool and features a classic silhouette with gently relaxed sleeves.
At the time of writing, limited sizes remain available and the jumper is currently reduced to £42 in the brand’s sale.
She paired it with a red and ivory plaid skirt.
It’s by Boden, made from a recycled polyester and wool blend with a cotton lining.
The skirt remains available in several sizes on Boden’s US site for $39 and on the UK site for £21.
If further details emerge about Charlotte’s gold hair bow, I’ll update the post.
That’s all for now. I’ll be back tomorrow to cover the royal family’s traditional Christmas Day walk at Sandringham 🎄
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