Kate Middleton and Prince William are making an emotional return to a beloved royal family tradition that marks the start of the holiday season.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are attending the Royal Variety Performance for the first time since 2023, reports PEOPLE Magazine. The couple will be the guests of honor at the Royal Albert Hall, for a show that benefits the Royal Variety Charity.
Kate and William did not attend the 2024 ceremony as the princess was still recovering from an undisclosed type of cancer. She attended several handpicked royal events after completing her treatment in the fall of that year, but she and William opted out of the Royal Variety Performance. King Charles attended the 2024 event, sans wife Camilla Parker Bowles, who was ill with a chest infection.
The couple’s return to the Royal Variety Performance signals another step forward in their joint royal workload. Kate’s return is especially notable after her recent health struggles.
The event has been a part of the royal rotation of holiday events since it was first broadcast on the radio in 1926 (per the Royal Variety Charity website). Queen Elizabeth attended her first Royal Variety show in 1947, where the special guests were comedians Laurel and Hardy.
One of the more famous Royal Variety Performances took place in November 1963 at the Prince of Wales Theater, when The Beatles performed for the royal family and distinguished guests.
John Lennon famously said, per the BBC, before The Beatles’ last song: “For our last number, I’d like to ask your help. To the people in the cheaper seats, clap your hands, and the rest of you, if you’d just rattle your jewelry.”
The list of performers for the 2025 Royal Variety Charity performance
According to the Royal Variety Charity website, the list of the 2025 performers at this years’ event includes Jessie J, Britain’s Got Talent winner Harry Moulding, and the casts of the West End musicals Les Misérables and Paddington.
Additionally, Madness makes their Royal Variety debut along with Grammy award-winning Laufey. Also appearing are Stephen Fry, Tom Davis , and Mick Miller.
Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure introduce a performance from the Live Aid musical Just For One Day. Finally, Johannes Radebe introduces a segment from the musical Kinky Boots.
The evening’s host is comedian Jason Manford. Opera star Katherine Jenkins performs the National Anthem. The live event takes place on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Royal Albert Hall. An airdate for the television broadcast has not yet been announced