The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte performed Erland Cooper’s piece Holm Sound on piano at Windsor Castle. Photo / X / Kensington Palace
The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte performed Erland Cooper’s piece Holm Sound on piano at Windsor Castle. Photo / X / Kensington Palace
The Princess of Wales has made a surprise appearance playing the piano with Princess Charlotte in the opening sequence of her Together at Christmas carol service broadcast.
The princess, 43, sat beside her 10-year-old daughter for a joint performance on the Steinway grand piano at Inner Hall in Windsor Castle.
The pair, who play together at home, performed Erland Cooper’s piece Holm Sound to open the programme.
As they play, the princess can be heard reading from the letter she sent to guests invited to her annual carol service, held at Westminster Abbey on December 5.
In the letter, she told guests that Christmas was about celebrating “simple acts of care” rather than “sentimental or grand gestures”.
The video shows guests arriving, including Prince Michael of Kent, Mary Berry, the celebrity chef, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the actor known for Love Actually.
The Wales family, including Prince William and Princes George, 12, and Louis, 7, can also be seen hanging red paper chains bearing their names on a “connection tree” outside the abbey.
Cooper, an award-winning composer and producer from the Orkney Islands, joined the duo earlier in December at the Princess’ request, to film the segment.
He composed the classical piece at the height of the Covid pandemic, taking inspiration from the wild environment of the Orkneys.
He shares a love of the natural world with the Princess of Wales, who initially wrote to Cooper to express her appreciation for his music and to thank him for his dedication to promoting nature through his art.
The princess told Cooper that she enjoyed teaching her daughter his compositions at home, creating a special bond between mother and daughter, and the idea to create a unique moment for the carol concert was born.
Cooper, 43, said: “We had a very warm, creative conversation earlier in the year, which was lovely, and then it culminated with an invitation to Windsor Castle. The princess asked: ‘Would it be okay if we perform this piece of music that we so enjoy together?’
The Princess of Wales worked with Erland Cooper for the special duet with Princess Charlotte. Photo / Instagram
“It was such a lovely request so I said absolutely, no problem at all. I was invited to witness this incredible bond between mother and daughter performing together and for that I am so grateful.
“And there’s a wonderful bit of serendipity as the piece was composed and dedicated to my mum, also called Charlotte. They didn’t know that.
“The princess and I both have a sort of shared love of music that celebrates the natural world and its rejuvenation and the wonder that you know that comes from it.
“I’m always in the head and hearts and back gardens of others. I often think, in this case, this little piece of music sort of landed on her shoulder like a bird.”
It is not the first time the Princess of Wales has made a public appearance playing the piano.
Her previous performances include the opening sequence in the 2023 Eurovision final, during which she played wearing a flowing Jenny Packham gown in blue to support Ukraine.
She first played the instrument in public on Christmas Eve 2021, when she performed during her televised carol concert in Westminster Abbey with singer Tom Walker, who said she “completely nailed it”.
On witnessing the princess and Charlotte sharing the stage together for their joint performance, Cooper said, “It was just lovely. I think I was there for a little bit of encouragement.
“I mean, imagine anybody performing a piece of music in front of a film crew, and then the person who wrote it. Princess Charlotte played beautifully ... So we were able to celebrate that together.”
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