Princess of Wales – Christmas Carol Concert, Westminster Abbey -8th December 2023

In 2021 the Princess of Wales started a new Christmas tradition by hosting a Carol Concert in Westminster Abbey. This year’s concert took place on Friday 8th December and in keeping with the theme of supporting children, Ayrshire and Arran was represented by Maxine Allan, the Founder and Chief Executive of Whiteleys retreat in Ayr and members of her family.
The Abbey was decked out in Christmas trees, wreaths and other festive decor for the evening, and featured performances by Westminster Abbey's choir, Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight, Jacob Collier, Freya Ridings and James Bay.
Prince William did a reading during the service, along with additional readings from Michael Ward, Emma Willis, Roman Kemp and Jim Broadbent. A specially commissioned poem written by Joseph Coelho, the Children’s Laureate, was also delivered by Leonie Elliott.
Whiteleys Retreat is a charity based in Ayr offering vital respite and support for children and young people with life altering illnesses. Further information on the charity can be found at www.whiteleysretreat.com