Another frustrated fan quipped, “Is this a Carol service for the deaf?” Several admitted to switching off the broadcast midway, calling the segment “painful” and lamenting the departure from classic arrangements.
Despite the backlash over these performances, the show received widespread praise elsewhere. The touching piano duet by Catherine (playing left hand) and 10-year-old Princess Charlotte (right hand) of Erland Cooper’s Holm Sound—a piece inspired by nature and connection—brought many viewers to tears. Princess Charlotte’s proud glances at her mother and the family’s involvement, including Prince William and the younger royals, were hailed as highlights.
Other performers, including Zak Abel (who stepped in last-minute for Hannah Waddingham), Griff, and the Cornish folk group Fisherman’s Friends, contributed to a mix of traditional and modern elements that organisers said aimed to reflect people of all faiths and none.