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By CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster, Kathy Rose O'Brien and Billy Stockwell in London

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Catherine, Princess of Wales has penned a moving letter about love and empathy to those attending her “Together At Christmas” carol service at Westminster Abbey on Friday and 15 regional services around the United Kingdom this month.

In her message, Kate calls the carol service “a heartfelt celebration,” thanking guests for providing “comfort and hope to those who need it the most.”

The princess writes about vulnerability and empathy and how “in times of joy and sadness, we are all each other’s light.” But it is love that features most prominently. 
 
She notes that “above all else” the Christmas story “encourages us to turn to love, not fear.”
 
Acknowledging, perhaps, the challenges she and her family have faced since her cancer diagnosis earlier this year, the princess writes that “love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times.”
 
The letter, signed “Catherine,” will be included with the order of service given to everyone attending.

Charlie Mackesy 2024/ PA 

The front cover of the order of service has been designed by British artist Charlie Mackesy, according to Kensington Palace. An illustration features a group of people embracing each other as they stroll toward Westminster Abbey in the snow. Underneath is the question: “How did I help?” and the answer: “You were by my side. Which was everything.” 
 
During the service there will be readings from actors Sophie Okonedo, Michelle Dockery and Richard E. Grant. The Prince of Wales and the Olympic gold medal swimmer Adam Peaty will also deliver readings.

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Candles will be lit by Lindsey Burrow, widow of rugby star Rob Burrow, who died from motor neuron disease earlier this year, Paralympians Lizzi Jordan and Danni Khan and six-time Olympic champion cyclist Chris Hoy, who opened up about his terminal cancer diagnosis in October.
 
The Westminster Abbey choir will sing carols, and there will be musical performances by guests including Olivia Dean, Gregory Porter, Paloma Faith and pianist Rosey Chan. 
 
The Waleses will be joined on Friday evening by other members of the royal family as well as the 1,600 invited guests, including children who survived the stabbing attack in Southport earlier this year, and their families.
 
Across the UK, 15 regional services will reflect the themes of the Westminster Abbey service, each tailored to causes that resonate in those communities, with a particular focus on the many people who volunteer. 
 
The concert will be aired on TV in the UK on Christmas Eve as part of a special program titled “Royal Carols: Together At Christmas.”
 
Kate has been gradually returning to public engagements over the past few months. This week, she joined her husband, Prince William, in welcoming the Emir of Qatar to the UK during his state visit (more on that later).

King Charles praises humanitarian aid workers.

On Wednesday, King Charles met aid workers in London who are providing humanitarian relief to people in Ukraine and the Middle East, and thanked them for their work. The aid workers were from the Disasters Emergency Committee – a network of 15 UK aid charities focused on emergency fundraising for global crises. Charles and Camilla donated to this year’s Middle East appeal, a fundraising campaign launched in October to support medical facilities in Gaza and provide hot meals and clean drinking water to those in need. Last year, they also hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the 60th anniversary of the committee.

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Meghan honors friend Tyler Perry.

The Duchess of Sussex attended a gala in Beverly Hills, California, on Wednesday night to support her friend Tyler Perry, who won the prestigious Paley Honors Award, which recognises exceptional individuals working in the media industry. In 2020, Perry – a close friend of Meghan – offered up his Los Angeles home to the Sussexes after they announced they were stepping back from their royal duties. Writer, actor and director Perry is also the godfather of the couple’s 3-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet. Prince Harry did not join Meghan at the glitzy event at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, as he was speaking at The New York Times’ 2024 DealBook Summit in New York. During a Q&A at the event, Harry said he enjoys living in the US as he has more freedom there. “I feel as though it’s the life that my mum wanted for me,” he said.

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The Princess of Wales helped the British royal family roll out the red carpet on Tuesday for the Emir of Qatar’s state visit to the UK. It was the princess’ biggest event since returning to public duties following the announcement in September that she was cancer-free. Check out some of the best pictures from the visit below: 

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Kate and William, pictured on Tuesday morning, arriving at Horse Guards Parade in St. James’s Park, near Buckingham Palace. The couple had earlier welcomed Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his wife Sheikha Jawaher before the group headed to the official ceremonial welcome with King Charles.

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Following the ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards, the group travel in a carriage procession back to the palace for lunch, followed by an exhibition of Qatari items, arranged by the Royal Collection and Turquoise Mountain Foundation.

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Charles kicks off Tuesday evening's lavish state banquet with a welcome in Arabic, which visibly impressed the emir, before paying tribute to the UK's long-standing relationship with Qatar.

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On the second day of the state visit, the emir visits the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Berkshire, where he used to study. During the visit, he reconnected with some of his former schoolmates and met current Qatari cadets training at the academy.

Hannah McKay/Reuters

Later on Wednesday, the emir meets UK PM Keir Starmer for a bilateral meeting, posing for pictures outside the festive front of 10 Downing Street.

Prince William will (briefly!) star in a new documentary showcasing his Earthshot Prize initiative and will take viewers on a whirlwind tour around the globe in search of inspiring environmental innovators – from the US and Ecuador to South Africa and the UK.

The Earthshot Prize is a project founded by William in 2020 that seeks to offer green solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.

“The Earthshot Report,” presented by “Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham, will feature interviews with current and former Earthshot finalists and winners, including Amazon Sacred Headwaters, an alliance of indigenous nations working to protect forests in Ecuador and Peru, and Mukuru Clean Stoves, which helps to reduce air pollution in Kenya. 

The documentary will premiere in the UK on BBC One at 5 p.m. (12 p.m ET) on December 15 and on PBS in the US at 8 p.m. ET on December 18.

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On Wednesday, Queen Camilla attended a prize ceremony in London to celebrate Franco-British literary talent and promote literature to teenagers and young adults – a cause she has long championed. The Entente Littéraire Prize ceremony was also attended by Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, who launched the award with Camilla in September 2023. The event was one of many functions the Queen has attended in recent days, despite revealing on Tuesday that the specific viral infection she had contracted recently was a form of pneumonia. On Thursday, she also met survivors of domestic abuse at a reception to mark the 50th anniversary of the grassroots charity Women’s Aid.

"No matter the challenges we face, whether it’s climate change, mental health or systemic injustices, her legacy and the efforts of young people to inspire further action in the world fill me with hope."

– Prince Harry

The Duke of Sussex spoke of his mother in a pre-recorded message at a virtual ceremony on Thursday for The Diana Award, which this year is celebrating its 25th anniversary. This year’s award celebrates the humanitarian work of 200 young leaders spanning 45 countries. Harry also said, “My mother’s belief in the power of young people to drive positive change continues to inspire me every single day." Watch the video here.

CNN's Lauren Said-Moorhouse contributed to this newsletter.