Kate Middleton and Duchess Sophie Showcased Their Special Connection With a Sweet Kiss at the Christmas Carol Concert

The Princess of Wales kept her "royal sister" close throughout the festive event.

Sophie, Duchess of Wessex, wears a white jacket and a paisley skirt as she attends Kate Middleton's Christmas Carol Concert
(Image credit: Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Kate Middleton and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, are reportedly very close. Following reports that Duchess Sophie stepped up to help Princess Kate, new photographs reveal that the pair showcased their sweet friendship at the Princess of Wales' annual Christmas carol concert on Dec. 6.

As well as sitting together during the festive event, Princess Kate and Duchess Sophie shared a special moment before the service started. As reported by Hello!, Kate and Sophie were spotted kissing one another on the cheek as guests arrived at Westminster Abbey. Although we don't have a photo of the moment in question, it's clear that Sophie and Kate's relationship has only developed throughout 2024.

Often described as Princess Kate's "royal sister," the Duchess of Edinburgh has taken on more responsibilities this year. Kate took a step back from royal duties following a cancer diagnosis, and it would seem as though Sophie has helped to take the pressure off of the Princess of Wales.

Duchess Sophie attends Kate Middleton's Christmas carol concert wearing a white jacket and a paisley skirt

Kate Middleton and Duchess Sophie sat together at the festive event.

(Image credit: Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Royal author and commentator Ingrid Seward recently discussed the special bond between Sophie and Kate while speaking with Hello!. "They have a sisterly bond and Sophie is like the older sister Kate never had," Seward explained. As for why they have a kinship, the royal expert said, "They both had really long romances with their husbands-to-be and Sophie lived at the Palace." She continued, "By the time they got married, they had more knowledge than the royal brides before them about what they were getting into."

Marrying into the Royal Family is far from a normal experience, and it's likely that Sophie and Kate have been able to support one another. "They have a huge amount in common having probably formed a bond very much at the beginning," Seward told the outlet. "Sophie was there for Kate in an unofficial capacity because she had the same experience of being a commoner marrying into the family."

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And when it comes to Princess Kate's famed Christmas carol concert, there was one member of the Royal Family who reportedly didn't get an invite. "A mole whispers that for the second year running, suggestions that [Prince] Andrew be invited to Kate's annual carol service, possibly seated behind a pillar, were rejected," according to the Daily Mail. "Although very much a family affair... there was no space for Uncle Andy."

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.