Kate Middleton Shows off Dazzling Piano Skills for Christmas Concert

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton dazzled fans of the royal family this holiday weekend with a surprise performance during the U.K. televised broadcast of Royal Carols: Together at Christmas, a carol service paying tribute to individuals and organizations supporting their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Showing off her piano skills at the holiday concert Friday, the Duchess (who also spearheaded the event), joined Scottish singer-songwriter Tom Walker for a performance of “For Those Who Can’t Be Here” while playing the piano. 

It was a moment fans of the royal family were stunned to see, including Walker who had the opportunity to duet with Middleton for his track. Best known for his single about the struggles of addiction, “Leave a Light On,” Walker said Middleton “completely nailed” her performance, per a report from PEOPLE. “Without doubt, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Walker said of their duet at Westminster Abbey, which aired Friday night in the U.K. “I thought she absolutely smashed the performance; it’s not easy to just jump behind a piano with a bunch of musicians you’ve never played with before and record live takes to camera but she completely nailed it.”

Walker, who first met Middleton at a charity event in October, went on to add how “lovely, kind and warm” she is. “She took the time to thank everyone personally for the opportunity to play together,” he said. “It was a crazy pinch-yourself kind of day for me, to be in such a beautiful venue playing alongside the Duchess with my band and a string quartet. I certainly won’t forget that in a hurry!”

Originally recorded on Dec. 8, the night’s lineup also included Leona Lewis and Ellie Goulding, who also played at Middleton and Prince William’s wedding reception in 2011. The Westminster Abbey choir also performed a selection of Christmas carols for the night. 

During the service hosted by Middleton, the mom-of-three and wife of Prince William, revealed how she wanted the event to “recognize those whose struggles perhaps have been less visible” than others, sharing how so many have been experiencing “bleak” times. “We’ve seen so many challenges, we’ve lost our loved ones. We’ve seen our front-line workers under immense pressure. And, also, we’ve been more emotionally, and socially, distanced and isolated from each other,” she said. “But I suppose through that separation we’ve also realized how much we need each other and how acts of kindness and love can really bring us comfort and relief in times of distress.”

Middleton went on to share how music was a big part of her life amid the pandemic, offering her solace during such uncertainties. “Music was so important to me during the pandemic as I think it was to so many people too,” she said. “But above all, it’s about celebrating the goodwill, the acts of kindness, love, empathy, and compassion to help people come through these difficult times.”