Westminster Abbey at Christmas 🎄

So there I was, still processing the chaos of our last event, when something utterly surreal happened. Out of nowhere, like a plot twist from The Crown, we received golden tickets (okay, paper ones, but still) to Princess Kate’s Christmas Carol Service at Westminster Abbey. Yes, that Westminster Abbey. Yes, her Christmas Carol Service.

The invite came via a lovely person named Alex Teasdale from the RFU, an absolute legend, and she kindly gifted tickets to both me and my wife. Cue stunned silence, minor internal screaming, and then full-on Operation: Top Secret. The email came with a “tell no one” clause, and anyone who knows me knows that if you say, “keep it a secret,” I’ll die before I spill. Like a vault.

🎁 When Dreams (Almost) Come True

Now, I’ll admit something: I’m a bit of a Royal Family geek. Always have been. My biggest dream was to meet the Queen (a dream sadly unfulfilled), and I’ve always felt a deep sense of duty to Queen and country. It’s why I joined the Army. Lots of people I served with had other perfectly valid reasons, career, travel, life direction, I was one of the few who joined because I genuinely believed in service to the monarch. That belief has never left me.

So sitting just a stone’s throw from William and Kate, watching them speak, in person, in that stunning, echoing space, was utterly unforgettable. The decorations? Magical. The singing? Spine-tingling. The vibe? A mix of sacred and surreal. The TV version looked good. But being there? That was next level.

👑 Imposter Syndrome in Aisle Three

Here’s the thing: I get a serious case of imposter syndrome every time something like this happens. When that invite landed in my inbox, I was convinced they had the wrong person. I half-expected a follow-up email saying, “Terribly sorry, bit of a mix-up you were meant to be at Weatherspoons, not Westminster.”

But the retraction never came. And there I was, blinking at the grandeur, thinking, “What on earth am I doing here?” I don’t do what I do for this kind of recognition. I’ve said it before (possibly 947 times): I do it for three very specific reasons, and none of them involve rubbing shoulders with royalty. So when something this special happens, it’s not expected. It’s humbling.

🙏 Grateful Beyond Words

I may not believe I deserve it, but I am immensely grateful. Grateful for Alex. Grateful for the chance to sit in that historic place, alongside my amazing wife, and experience something so beautiful. And deeply grateful to the people who believe in me, who make things like this possible, even when I’m still looking around wondering if they meant someone else.

So yes, attending Princess Kate’s Carol Service at Westminster Abbey officially goes in the “Life’s Greatest Hits” album.