Royal Expert Says to "Never Underestimate" Princess Kate's Ability to Pull Out a Major "Surprise" During Upcoming Holiday Event

Kate Middleton wearing a burgundy coat and smiling in front of lit up Christmas trees — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Kate Middleton has been keeping a low profile amid her cancer battle this year, but one royal event that's definitely penned into the royal's diary is her annual Christmas carol concert.

The festive event—which is confirmed to take place on Dec. 6 at Westminster Abbey—has been a highlight on the royal calendar each holiday season since its inception in 2021. The inaugural event stood out for many reasons, with one of them being a huge surprise that the Princess of Wales treated the crowd (and the rest of the world) to during the concert.

In case you missed it, the princess delivered a moving piano performance in honor of those lost during the pandemic—and one royal expert is wondering if she might have another treat for royal fans up her sleeve this year.

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Speaking on the Sun's Royal Exclusive show, royal author Katie Nicholl said the event was Princess Kate's "baby," adding the event was "very much her thing."

Kate Middleton wearing a white coat and waving in front of a huge nutcracker statue — Kate Middleton has held the concert each year since 2021.

"She's been working on it behind the scenes. I'm predicting a big family turnout," Nicholl said, referencing Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis's expected attendance. The author also noted the Middleton family, including Kate's parents, Carole and Michael, and siblings Pippa and James, will likely step out to support the princess as they have in years past.

When the Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson wondered if the Princess of Wales will play the piano again, Nicholl said, "I'm not sure whether she's going to be involved in the performance at all," adding, "I mean, we've yet to see. The capacity for surprise, never underestimate it."

Even if there's no royal performance, the royal author said the simple fact of being there at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the holidays and get back to her engagements would be "a source of great comfort" to the princess. It will also be reassuring to the public, the royal panel said, since the Princess of Wales has only been seen on a handful of occasions in 2024.

At the end of the day, Nicholl said the carol concert is an event that will hopefully lift Princess Kate's spirits. "I feel that the year ends on a note of hope and optimism for her," she added.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.