Kate Middleton’s cancer battle puts Christmas tradition in danger: expert

COMMENT: Kate Middleton’s “Christmas Carols” has broken ratings records and is now as much a Christmas staple as turkey, cranberries and Santa Claus himself. But behind the scenes, a crisis is brewing.

It was good news to receive this sparkling video A video from Catherine, Princess of Wales, detailing the end of her grueling cancer treatment that captivated the world with dignified presentations from Kensington Palace.

They say Catherine will return towards the end of this year, with a particularly important Remembrance Sunday service in the royal calendar, but what about “Christmas Carols”?

KATE MIDDLETON RETURNS TO ROYAL DUTY DAYS AFTER ANNOUNCEMENT THAT SHE IS CANCER-FREE

This concept was created by Catherine and approved by our late Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, as an ideal way to introduce Catherine to a wider audience and celebrate all the events of Christianity in the United Kingdom.

The show, an instant ratings hit, delighted royal fans and made digital headlines around the world as stars new and old, such as pop rocker Tom Walker, performed alongside Catherine on piano, providing an unprecedented intimacy into royal life.

Bosses at struggling commercial channel ITV, which has suffered a huge fall in advertising revenue, are hoping Catherine will return this year with an annual special. The big advertising spend on the special is because so many brands want to be associated with the Princess of Wales.

It also sells well commercially for the channel worldwide and, on top of all this, showcases the channel at marketing events throughout the year. As one source explained, “Catherine is an integral part of the ITV brand but it’s something that’s not made public for obvious reasons.”

But will the Princess of Wales be able to fix it in time? Normally, planning for a show starts immediately after it has finished, with ideas being thrown around throughout the year.

Hollywood A-list stars offer to recite religious passages inside historic building Westminster Abbey free just to appear before the royal family and the worldwide audience that “Christmas Carols” brings.

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Prince William wants Catherine to take over the helm of this successful annual event, but as Catherine points out, she has her good days and her bad days and she is not out of the woods yet. The back-up plan, and if all else fails that is what the channel is hoping for, is for Catherine to host a best-of show interspersed with pre-recorded performances and readings so that it is not too overwhelming for her.

Kensington Palace, where the Prince and Princess of Wales have their offices, did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Whichever way you look at it, a lot depends on the Princess of Wales getting this together as soon as possible. Kensington Palace has told me that she would love for this to continue as normal, but as they’ve also pointed out, those who really have health and restrictions under control.

ITV has cleared the slot and has no plans to replace it with anything else, but they are checking back weekly for any updates that might help or simply relieve the pressure, waiting to see if Catherine’s “Christmas Carols” can finally bring some normality to what has been a traumatic year. British Royal Family and for its subjects the British Commonwealth and the rest of the world.

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