Adam Lambert looked effortlessly gorgeous in an emerald green suit and gold-soled shoes when he greeted the Princess of Wales. He performed at Westminster Abbey at her specific request

This season, Adam Lambert got an irresistible holiday invitation. The former “American Idol” contestant and current Queen vocalist recently posted on Instagram that he was “thrilled” to be invited by Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, to sing at her Christmas program in London for many select guests.

Lambert, 41, met Princess Kate in Westminster Abbey on December 8, 2023, wearing an emerald green suit and gold glitter platform shoes. Although he had previously performed for the royal family alongside Queen, with whom he has toured since 2011, Lambert told People that this experience felt completely different.

The princess requested Lambert to sing at her third annual “Together At Christmas” carol event, which will be televised on Britain’s ITV on Christmas Eve. Before the event, she met with the Westminster Abbey choir, Jacob Collier, Freya Ridings, and Jim Broadbent, whom she had invited.

“I had the honor of meeting Catherine, Princess of Wales,” Lambert told People. “She invited the performers she wanted to see at the service, and it was lovely to visit with her before we performed.”

He continued, “It’s a really flattering invite to receive from Princess Kate to come and sing at this special event.”

Lambert, the eighth season’s runner-up on “American Idol,” sang a duet of “The Christmas Song” with British singer-songwriter Beverly Knight moments before Prince William read from the Bible, according to People. An onlooker informed the site that William and Kate’s children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, “watched intently” while Lambert and Knight sang.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our special carol service, Together at Christmas.

The performers in Westminster Abbey and the early years staff, including caregivers, midwives, and nurses, are making a difference in the lives of children.

The event also benefited Princess Kate’s Shaping Up Campaign, which she began in early 2023 to promote early childhood activities.

As part of the event, she stated, “In these difficult times, it is more important than ever to help support parents and caregivers provide loving, safe, and secure homes for their babies and young children to thrive.”

Lambert has performed in locations all throughout the world, but he told People that performing in Westminster Abbey was particularly meaningful. And, despite singing for the Royal Family during the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022, he told People that he was “quite far away on the other side of the crowd.”

The cathedral has a significant royal history, having hosted the Prince and Princess of Wales’ 2011 wedding and King Charles’ coronation in May 2023. Westminster Abbey’s website states, “40 monarchs have been crowned in the Abbey since 1066.”

Lambert described the abbey as “a place that I’ve seen on television and in photos for years but have never been to myself, so it is quite breathtaking.”

“I’ve always loved history and old architecture, and this is my sweet spot,” he told me. “I was able to roam around a little bit after my practice and do a self-guided tour of some of the sections within the Abbey, and it’s absolutely magnificent, and the amount of history in here is insane. You know, you have the tombs of emperors, poets, and other famous historical characters, so it’s very weird.”

Lambert praised the cathedral’s calm atmosphere for his performance at the Christmas concert.

“(It was) very still, which added a calmness to my energy,” he told me. “The song felt like a lullaby.”

This year, Lambert is not the only “American Idol” star asked to perform for the royals. In May, judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were invited to attend King Charles’ crowning and perform at the subsequent enormous celebration.