Catherine's Christmas carol concert honours charity helpers

The Princess of Wales is hosting her annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey, with guests including royals, celebrities and local heroes who have helped their communities.

The 1,600 guests will hear a mix of carols, music and readings from actors such as Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

The theme of the service, held in the candle-lit Abbey on Friday afternoon, is kindness and showing love to others.

Among the guests will be Anna and Jonathan Cordiner, whose daughter died of a brain tumour, and who set up a charity, Kayleigh's Wee Stars, to support families who have a child with a terminal illness.

Last year, the event was attended by Catherine and Prince William's children, George, Charlotte and Louis. William delivered one of the service readings.

The message of this year's concert is that in a fragmented and disconnected world, small acts of generosity and love can bring people and communities together.

"The time, care and compassion you give, often quietly and unspoken, and without any expectation or recognition, make an extraordinary difference to the lives of others," wrote Catherine, in a letter ahead of the carol service.

The princess has been making her own gradual return to public life after her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy, last month delivering her first public speech for two years, in which she talked about recognising the "quiet, often invisible work of caring".

Guests arriving at the Abbey will be entertained by young musicians supported by the Future Talent charity, co-founded by the Duchess of Kent to widen access to music lessons.

The duchess, who died in September, had been a primary school music teacher and a great supporter of giving more young people opportunities to play music.

Carys Wood, aged 18, who plays the trumpet and is from Pembrokeshire, has been assisted by the charity, with grants helping towards musical instruments, lessons and travel costs - and she said it was "awesome" to be playing at tonight's service.

"Music can be very expensive," Carys said. She is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music, and added that "everyone should have the opportunity" to develop their musical skills.

When Carys found out about how the duchess had supported music, she said: "I was amazed by what she'd done and that she'd worked as a teacher."

Carys's 11-year-old sister, Eliza, who plays the euphonium, will also be at the Abbey. "I never thought I'd be able to play there in front of so many important people," she said.

"Everyone should have a chance to play music."

Among the guests in the Abbey will be representatives of different generations.

That will include Saphia Turner, aged nine, winner of the BBC's Make a Difference Young Hero Award, who sells artwork and carries out sponsored challenges to raise money for food banks.

And there will be Holocaust survivor Steven Frank, aged 90, and D-Day veteran Jack Mortimer, who is 102 years old.

The Abbey has been decorated with specially made wreaths, with TV cook Mary Berry and florist Simon Lycett helping to make them.

Among the musical performers will Katie Melua, choristers from Westminster Abbey and a Cornish sea shanty group, Fisherman's Friends, who said the invitation to sing was "the icing on the cake for us".

The Together at Christmas carol concert will be televised and shown on ITV1 on Christmas Eve.