Kate offers carols comfort to Ella

THE PRINCESS of Wales enlisted the help of Lady Gabriella Windsor in organising her Christmas carol concert - reflecting the service's themes of kindness, love, empathy and being there for each other through tough times.

- Emily Ferguson

During the summer, Kate, 42, asked Lady Gabriella, 43, the daughter of Prince and Princess of Michael of Kent, to join her team in creating this year's Together at Christmas carol service.

She gladly accepted and took on an advisory role around the service's musical performances by the likes of Gregory Porter, Paloma Faith and Olivia Dean.

It comes at the end of a difficult year for Ella as she is known to her family and friends following her husband's shock death by suicide.

Thomas Kingston, 45, died from a shotgun wound to the head at his parents' Cotswolds home on February 25.

The Royal Family have rallied around to help Ella recover from the ordeal and in June, the King invited her to watch his birthday parade from inside Buckingham Palace in what marked her first public event since her husband's death.

Ella's involvement in Kate's carol service, which celebrates empathy in the "darkest times", is especially meaningful.

A source said: "She enjoyed her role within the service and was excited to be a part of it. The Princess was incredibly grateful for her contribution." Ella was pictured attending the carol service, walking in with Lady Helen Taylor, 60, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent.