Princess Kate Middleton’s Christmas carol service has returned once again on December 5, and the occasion brings back a particularly touching memory from last year. In 2024, Prince Louis quietly stole the show at Westminster Abbey with a gesture that captured the sweetness of the season. The young prince placed a small handwritten message on the Kindness Tree, a tradition that allows children to leave notes for people who have shown them care and compassion. Louis chose to write to his grandparents, Carole and Michael Middleton, thanking them for playing games with him. It was a simple line, but one that said a great deal about the bond between the Wales children and Kate’s family.
Carole and Michael were attending the service among a congregation of more than fifteen hundred people, yet Louis’s note stood out. The message felt especially meaningful because the Middletons had been a steady source of support for Kate throughout her recovery from abdominal surgery and during the difficult months that followed her cancer diagnosis. Their closeness was also shown later in Kate’s September video, filmed after her chemotherapy treatment had ended. The footage included the family gathered around a table playing cards, a small glimpse into the comfort and normality the Middletons bring to the Wales household.
A family connection formed long before Windsor
Carole and Michael have long been central figures in Kate’s life, and over the years they have formed a warm and relaxed relationship with Prince William as well. They even joined him at Royal Ascot in June, where William was seen helping Carole when her heel became stuck in the ground. Their bond goes back to William’s earliest days with Kate, when they were still university students. James Middleton shared in his book Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life that he gave William a bit of a challenge when they first met, wanting to be sure the young prince deserved his sister. Eventually, William became woven naturally into the rhythm of the Middleton family, especially during his time at Sandhurst, which was only a short drive from their home in Bucklebury.