The Princess of Wales will return to Westminster Abbey to host a special Christmas carol service on Friday 8th December. This year, the service will be a moment to thank all those who work to support babies, young children and families in our communities across the UK and a celebration of the golden opportunity that the birth of a new baby brings.

Spearheaded by The Princess, and supported by The Royal Foundation, the service is a moment to bring people together at Christmas time and recognise those who have gone above and beyond to help others throughout the year. Linked to Her Royal Highness’ Shaping Us campaign, the service will showcase the hope of new life and why it is so important to build supportive, nurturing worlds around children and the adults in their lives. We know that the foundations we lay in early childhood shape the rest of our lives: the adults we become, the relationships we form and ultimately, the type of society we create together. This special time in a child’s earliest years is a unique chance to build a happier, healthier, fairer, kind and more tolerant world.

Combining traditional and modern elements to encompass people of all faiths and none, the service will see the world-renowned Westminster Abbey choir perform some of the nation’s most beloved carols, alongside musical performances by guests including Beverley Knight, Adam Lambert, Jacob Collier, Freya Ridings and James Bay.

The Abbey will be filled with inspiring individuals and families from all corners of the UK, including midwives, health visitors, early years practitioners, nursery teachers and community volunteers, as well as Members of The Royal Family. It will shine a spotlight on those who go above and beyond and will be a chance to celebrate the incredible role they play in raising children and shaping the society of tomorrow. The carol service will see Westminster Abbey filled with festive decorations, providing a beautiful Christmas backdrop for the special evening which will provide an opportunity to deliver a festive thank you to those who are working so hard to help the youngest members of our society to flourish.

Filmed for broadcast, the service has been developed and delivered in partnership with Westminster Abbey, as a co-production between The Royal Foundation and BBC Studios Events Productions. The service will air as part of a special programme on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve.
In addition to the Westminster Abbey Service, twelve community carol services will be taking place across the UK, hosted by Lord-Lieutenants, and supported by The Royal Foundation.
[end]

Notes to Editors

• Guests attending the service have been nominated by Lord-Lieutenants across the nation, in addition to charities associated with Members of the Royal Family. They will be joined by those working in the early years space which is a key focus area of The Princess of Wales’s work through The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. It will also consist of those who may have had a challenging year, including children and families, or those who might find the winter period difficult.

• The Princess of Wales founded the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 and launched the Shaping Us campaign in January 2023.

• The twelve community carol services taking places across the UK will be bespoke to each area and will provide a moment for people to come together and celebrate community work during the festive season.

These will be taking place in:
Leominster, Herefordshire
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Hartlepool, Co Durham
Clifton, Bristol
Uppingham, Rutland
Upminster, Essex
Charlbury, Oxfordshire
Chester, Cheshire
Newport, Wales
Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Fife, Scotland
Bangor, Wales