Kate Middleton is sharing an emotional Christmas message.

Giving her thanks to people who have gone above and beyond for their families and communities this year, the Princess of Wales advocated for love, kindness and empathy in a heartfelt letter to the guests of her annual carol service and other church services held around the U.K.

Amid her own recovery from cancer treatment following her Sept. 9 announcement that she had completed chemotherapy, Princess Kate reached out to each of the 1,600 guests who will gather in Westminster Abbey on Dec. 6 and elsewhere with the emotionally-charged letter. Coming after a year in which she has had major surgery followed by a cancer diagnosis, and while her father-in-law King Charles in still undergoing ​​cancer treatment, her words seem to carry even more poignancy.

In the communication, the Princess of Wales, 42, seems to be thinking of those who have helped her and supported her family.

Kate and her husband Prince William, 42, will be joined by other members of the royal family for the occasion. It is likely the couple will bring their three children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, as they have in the past.

The holiday period is one of her favorite times of the year, Kate said, a moment “for celebration and joy.”

She added, “It also gives us the opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all. It is when we stop and take ourselves away from the pressures of daily life that we find the space to live our lives with an open heart, with love, kindness and forgiveness — so much of what the Christmas spirit is all about.”

The Christmas story, Kate said, not only encourages us to consider others, but it also “reflects our own vulnerabilities and reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving empathy, as well as just how much we need each other in spite of our differences.”

“Above all else, it encourages us to turn to love, not fear. The love that we show ourselves and the love we show others. Love that listens with empathy, love that is kind and understanding, love that is forgiving and love that brings joy and hope,” she continued.

Kate’s words echoed her video message she released when her cancer treatment was finished. In the moving clip, the Princess of Wales said she was “grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved.”

In her latest communication, she added, “It is this love which is the greatest gift we can receive … Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times. We all have something we can offer one another. Gentle words or a receptive ear, an arm around an exhausted shoulder, or silently being by someone’s side.”

The princess praised inspiring people for how they “have provided comfort, counsel and connection, and above all else they have shown that love unites and strengthens us all.”

Her annual carol service “is a heartfelt celebration of every one of you, and a reminder that at Christmas, and throughout the year, we must all shine for each other,” she said. “Because in times of joy and sadness, we are all each other’s light.”

During the service, readings around the theme of love and empathy will be made by Prince William, Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery (whose Irish fiancé died of a rare form of cancer in 2022), actress Sophie Okonedo and actor Richard E. Grant. Paralympians and Olympians, including Adam Peaty, will also be at the occasion.

There will also be performances by guests including singers Olivia Dean, Gregory Porter and Paloma Faith, as well as a specially-composed piece by pianist Rosey Chan. Soloists from The Royal Ballet and students from The Royal Ballet School are set to perform a specially-created piece.

Outside the Abbey, the palace said, there will be a “Kindness Tree” for guests to dedicate a decoration to someone who has supported them throughout their life. As they wait to enter the Abbey, where William and Kate wed in 2011 and where Queen Elizabeth’s funeral was held in 2022, guests will also be treated to music by young performers, including a 25-piece steel pan band and jazz ensemble from Restore the Music, a non-profit which supports music education for young people.