The Princess of Wales and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, delivered a touching musical performance that became a highlight of this year's royal Christmas celebrations. Their piano duet, featured in the pre-recorded Together At Christmas carol concert broadcast on ITV1 on Christmas Eve, left the piece's composer genuinely impressed by their skill and poise.
A Royal Surprise at Windsor Castle
Scottish composer Erland Cooper revealed it was "a big surprise" to receive a last-minute invitation to Windsor Castle just a week before the broadcast. He attended the filming segment to hear the royal pair perform his composition, Holm Sound. Cooper had previously spoken with the Princess earlier in the year and knew she enjoyed playing the piece with her family, but had no idea it would lead to a castle performance.
"I didn't need to give direction, they were so good," Cooper told BBC Breakfast. He described the experience of performing for a film crew and the composer as "nerve-wracking for anybody," but praised the duo's composure. "They played it several times and then they asked me to have a wee go as well and I gave a few pointers. But I didn't need to. I think I was there as a cheerleader," he added.
A Performance Full of Personal Meaning
The performance was deeply symbolic. The princess played using only her left hand, while Princess Charlotte, whom Cooper called "very confident," played with just her right hand in Windsor Castle's Inner Hall. The piece itself holds profound personal significance for the composer.
Holm Sound was originally written for Cooper's mother, who is also named Charlotte. He explained the music explores themes of motherhood and the cyclical nature of family. "It's about how we see our parents in our children's eyes and but then when you look at your mother and you look at granny, you see your children. It's about that sort of full circle moment," Cooper said.
This theme resonated with the public display, as footage of the performance was intercut with clips of the Wales family at the carol service. Viewers saw the Prince of Wales and Kate watching as their children placed named paper chains on a "Connection Tree" outside Westminster Abbey.
Highlighting Connection at Christmas
The musical interlude was a carefully chosen element of the princess's annual Christmas event, now in its fifth year. Kate has used the concert platform before, famously accompanying singer Tom Walker on piano in a past year. For this edition, the duet underscored the concert's core message of togetherness, a sentiment Kate elaborated on in a letter accompanying the order of service.
She wrote about the Christmas period reminding us "how deeply our lives are woven together." The princess and her daughter, clearly enjoying the moment and sharing smiles, embodied this belief through their collaborative performance. The concert also featured readings by actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and a reflection on love by Kate Winslet.
The congregation for the live service included senior royals and Kate's family, such as her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, and her brother James with his wife Alizee Thevenet.
