Kate's carol service message: You were by my side

Catherine, Princess of Wales is to big her yearly Christmas carol work astatine Westminster Abbey connected Friday, her biggest lawsuit successful her instrumentality to royal duties aft ending her chemotherapy.

A specially-designed illustration by British creator Charlie Mackesy - which embodies the service's themes of kindness, emotion and empathy - volition diagnostic connected the Order of Service.

Families affected by the Southport weapon onslaught volition beryllium among the 1,600 guests astatine the event.

It comes astatine the extremity of a hard twelvemonth for Catherine, aft her crab diagnosis successful March, followed by months of treatment.

The illustration says: "How did I help?" with the reply "you were by my side, which was everything" - expressing the carol concert's connection of showing solidarity for those successful need.

The children's illustrator, who is is known for his bestselling publication The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse, said: "I anticipation it reminds america of the quality of being determination for each different astatine Christmas."

Ahead of the carol concert, Kate sent a missive to guests calling for "love, not fear".

Each signifier of Kate's instrumentality to the nationalist oculus has made headlines, but this week volition person seen her astatine 2 large events - the emir of Qatar's authorities sojourn and this Together astatine Christmas carol service.

And much than immoderate of the events truthful acold this year, this performance volition spot the princess centre signifier alternatively than successful a supporting role.

This volition beryllium her large idiosyncratic infinitesimal - aft a twelvemonth of wellness worries described by the Prince of Wales arsenic "brutal" for their family.

There volition beryllium celebrated performers astatine the concert, including Richard E Grant, Paloma Faith, Olivia Dean and Gregory Porter, on with guests who person worked hard to assistance others successful their communities.

It is intended to amusement enactment for those who person had pugnacious years, including families of those caught up successful the Southport weapon attacks, whom the princess visited successful October.

Olympic and world-champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who besides received a crab diagnosis this year, volition beryllium among those lighting candles.

But overmuch of the absorption volition beryllium connected Catherine, Prince William and different Royal Family members astatine the service.

The connection successful the run-up to the carol performance has been strikingly emotional, calling for greater empathy for those facing difficulties.

"Love is the airy that tin radiance bright, adjacent successful our darkest times," Catherine wrote successful a missive to guests invited to the concert, which is being recorded for an ITV programme connected 24 December.

In her letter, Catherine writes astir the value of compassion, "gentle words oregon a receptive ear, an limb astir an exhausted shoulder, oregon silently being by someone's side", and "the emotion that we amusement ourselves and the emotion we amusement others - emotion that listens with empathy, emotion that is benignant and understanding, emotion that is forgiving, and emotion that brings joyousness and hope".

And guests volition beryllium capable to permission a connection connected a "kindness tree" extracurricular the abbey.

Whether a reflection of her ain experiences of sick wellness successful specified a high-profile role, oregon addressing a social-media procreation that expects much affectional openness, it is simply a precise antithetic code from traditionally understated royal messages.

It has a likewise idiosyncratic attack to Catherine's video connected societal media successful September, erstwhile she announced she had finished her chemotherapy treatment, with its connection of hopeful endurance: "Out of darkness, tin travel light, truthful fto that airy radiance bright."