The Princess of Wales is planning a sweet gesture to the late Duchess of Kent in her upcoming carol concert. Kensington Palace has revealed details of the festive service, announcing that it will take place on Friday 5 December at Westminster Abbey. And one poignant detail that marks a sweet nod to Katherine, who died on 4 September aged 92, is that young performers from the charity she co-founded, Future Talent, will take part in the service. Before guests enter the Abbey, they will be serenaded with music by the children from Future Talent, which supports musically gifted youngsters from low-income backgrounds.
The palace also confirmed the celebrity guests attending who will have a special role in the concert, through readings or musical performances: Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, Dan Smith from Bastille, and legendary actors Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The world-renowned Westminster Abbey choir will sing some of the nation’s most loved carols. Outside the Abbey, guests will also be able to admire natural displays created by plantsman and horticulturist Jamie Butterworth, to highlight the importance of nature in our lives.
This is the fifth year that Kate is hosting her carol service. This year, the aim is to bring together people to celebrate love in all its forms – love within families, through friendships, across communities and more. As in previous years, there will be fifteen ‘Together at Christmas’ community carol services taking place across the UK, supported by Kate and Prince Wiliam’s The Royal Foundation.
Duchess of Kent’s tragic death
The Duke of Kent‘s wife Katharine sadly passed away in September. At the time, Buckingham Palace released a statement that announced: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family. The King and Queen and all members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”
© Getty ImagesThe Duchess of Kent passed away in September aged 92
Upon her death, her husband the Duke, 90, became the oldest loving member of the British royal family. The Kents, who were married for 64 years, resided together at Wren House at Kensington Palace. The Duchess had retreated from the public eye in the latter years of her life, having given up her HRH style in 2002. Poignantly, her last public appearance was on her husband’s 89th birthday in October 2024, as the pair watched a performance from bagpipers outside their royal residence.
Duchess of Kent’s passion for music
Katharine’s passion for music was evident from an early age. During her school years, she learnt to play the piano, the organ and the violin and became a skilled pianist and organist. She also performed publicly as a soprano with the renowned Bach Choir. In 2002, she stepped away from royal duties and dispensed with her HRH title, famously telling the BBC, “Call me Katharine”. She spent the next 13 years as a music teacher at the Wansbeck Primary School in Hull. “I was just known as Mrs Kent,” she told The Telegraph in 2022. “Only the head knew who I was. The parents didn’t know and the pupils didn’t know. No one ever noticed. There was no publicity about it at all – it just seemed to work.”
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While teaching at the school, the Duchess saw first-hand how musically gifted children were being held back from a career in music due to financial instability and limited guidance. So in 2004, she co-founded the charity Future Talent, which creates opportunities for young musicians across the UK. Her musical passion was also reflected in her roles as President of the Royal Northern College of Music for 35 years, and patron of major initiatives like the BBC Young Musician competition.