The Princess of Wales and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, delivered a moving and impressively skilled piano performance at Kate's annual Christmas carol service, leaving the piece's composer in awe of their natural talent.
A Surprise Invitation to Windsor Castle
Scottish composer Erland Cooper described it as 'such a surprise' to discover the royal pair would be performing his composition, 'Holm Sound', and to be invited to Windsor Castle for the filming. The pre-recorded segment aired on Christmas Eve as part of the ITV1 screening of the 'Together At Christmas' concert.
Cooper told BBC Breakfast that after an earlier chat with the Princess, he knew she enjoyed playing the piece with her family. 'It was a big surprise to be invited to Windsor Castle just last week and hear it performed by a pair of princesses,' he said.
'No Direction Needed' for Confident Performance
The composer was struck by how accomplished the mother and daughter were during their side-by-side performance in the castle's Inner Hall. 'I didn't need to give direction, they were so good,' he revealed, adding that performing for a film crew and the writer would be nerve-wracking for anyone.
He described young Charlotte as 'very confident' and praised her for playing 'really well' and 'so beautifully'. After they played the piece several times, they asked Cooper to have a go himself, and he offered a few pointers, though he joked he was mainly there as a 'cheerleader'.
A Poignant Piece About Motherhood
In a touching coincidence, Cooper explained that the music was originally written for his own mother, who is also named Charlotte, and its theme is motherhood. 'It's about how we see our parents in our children's eyes... it's about that sort of full circle moment,' he said, highlighting the piece's perfect suitability for the royal duet.
For the performance, Kate played using only her left hand while Charlotte used her right, a detail that underscored their close coordination. The princess, who has staged the Christmas celebration for five years, reportedly wanted to include the musical element to emphasise her belief in the importance of connections, a theme echoed in a letter she narrated for the service.
The carol concert also featured notable moments including:
- Chiwetel Ejiofor reading 'A Visit From St Nicholas'.
- Kate Winslet delivering a reflection on love at Christmas.
- Footage of the Prince of Wales and Kate watching their children place named paper chains on a 'Connection Tree' at Westminster Abbey.
Among the congregation were members of the royal family and Kate's own family, including her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, and her brother James with his wife.
