Kate Middleton has chosen best-selling author and artist Charlie Mackesy to capture the emotional spirit of her annual carol service.

The British author, acclaimed for his beloved book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, has created a unique and heartwarming illustration for the order of service at Princess Kate’s “Together at Christmas” carol service at Westminster Abbey on Dec. 6.

The artwork depicts a group of friends walking together through the snow towards the magnificent Abbey, with their arms around one another. Accompanying the image are the poignant words: “How did I help?”

The answer: “You were by my side. Which was everything.”

A spokesperson for Kate at Kensington Palace shared that these words “embody the theme of the carol service and the power of providing support to someone simply through being by their side when they need it most.”

Renowned artist Mackesy’s signature sketches and expressive, ink-like script have provided a source of comfort and accessibility to readers worldwide, particularly during challenging times. His 2019 book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, which celebrates the themes of kindness and friendship, became an international sensation.

Kate has been leaning on her own support network of her family amid her health challenges. On Sept. 9, she announced she had completed chemotherapy following a cancer diagnosis earlier this year. On September 9, she revealed that she had completed chemotherapy after receiving a cancer diagnosis earlier this year. The announcement, made in a heartfelt video, also featured her husband, Prince William, 42, and their three children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.

It is hoped that William and Kate will bring their three young children to the Abbey with them, as they have in previous years.

Kate hopes that this year’s service will offer a moment to reflect on the importance of love and empathy, and the vital role we play in supporting one another. To accompany the event, she has released a heartfelt letter, which will be given to each of the 1,600 guests at the Abbey along with their order of service. The letter outlines the carols, music, and readings that will be featured during the hour-long ceremony.

In it, she said, “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 story of Christmas, 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.

The guests at the Abbey, and 15 other services being held around the U.K., are being recognized with an invitation for the support they have given their communities, friends or family, through volunteering or work. Some of the guests who have themselves faced difficult times this year will also be in attendance.

The congregation in the Abbey will also include members of the royal family and recognizable faces who in their own ways have shown how love can help others thrive.