29 November 2023
Commemorations at Christmas Carol Service 2023
Tickets are on sale now for our very special Commemorations at Christmas carol service!
This year's Commemorations at Christmas Carol service will run from 7pm to 8.15pm on Wednesday 29th November at the iconic Guards' Chapel, London.
Join us, our very special guests, and the wonderful Choir of the Guards’ Chapel for an unforgettable performance of music associated with Christmas.
Ticket Types
- Carol Service ticket – £30 - This ticket will give you entry into our magical Carol Service, Commemorations at Christmas, held at the beautiful Guards’ Chapel (The Royal Military Chapel) in London, featuring a commemorative order of service, live performances from our very special guests, music, well-known carols, plus our specially commissioned Commonwealth War Graves Commission carol.
- Carol Service and Reception ticket – £80 - With a Carol Service and Reception ticket you will have entry to the Christmas Carol Service with designated seating, and enjoy all the beautiful performances and service. You will also have the chance to join our VIP guests and CWGC staff for canapes, mulled wine, and mince pies in the intimate setting of the Officers’ Mess after the Carol Service. The reception begins after the service and finishes at 9.30 pm (18+ only).
Commemorations at Christmas 2023 promises to be a unique and enchanting evening of reflection, remembrance and thanks for those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the two World Wars.
We’ve put together a memorable programme for you that’s perfect for all the family, including:
- Live performances from our very special guests Gyles Brandreth and Dr Hilary Jones
- Performances by mezzo-soprano Emma Brown and the Guards’ Chapel Choir
- Readings of the Nativity story
- Well-known carols, plus our specially commissioned carol
Tickets are expected to sell fast. Grab yours today to avoid missing out on this extraordinary musical evening.
Gyles Brandreth
Gyles Brandreth is a writer, broadcaster, actor, former MP and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, now Chancellor of the University of Chester and, with his daughter, Aphra Brandreth, host of the Commonwealth Poetry Podcast, celebrating the people and poetry of the 56 Commonwealth nations.
A star of Celebrity Gogglebox, a veteran of QI and Have I Got News For You, a reporter on The One Show, a regular on This Morning, and since the 1980s one of the stars of Just a Minute on BBC Radio 4. His most recent book is an acclaimed biography of Queen Elizabeth II: Elizabeth: an intimate portrait.
Dr Hilary Jones
Dr Hilary Jones MBE is a general practitioner, presenter and writer on medical issues.
Since 1993, he has featured regularly on Good Morning Britain (formerly GMTV) and co-presented The Health Show. He’s a regular guest on Steve Wright’s BBC Radio 2 programme and has participated in
Dancing on Ice.
His most recent book, Frontline, follows a love story at a field hospital during the First World War.
Emma Brown
Emma Brown is an English mezzo-soprano who sings internationally, focusing on oratorios, concerts, remembrance, and supporting NGOs. She has performed in Mongolia and Vietnam with orphans and street children for the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, and in Nepal for the Gurkha Welfare Trust, as well as across Europe for remembrance ceremonies. In 2019, Emma sang in the presence of King Charles and Queen Camilla at the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day in Normandy. Earlier this year, she sang for the CWGC at the reopening of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Commemorations at Christmas Carol Service 2023 Frequently Asked Questions
The Guards’ Chapel is located at: Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London SW1E 6HQ.
The nearest Underground stations are:
- St James's Park (4 minutes' walk)
- Green Park (15 minutes’ walk)
- Waterloo (27 minutes’ walk)
- Charing Cross (21 minutes’ walk)
- Victoria (14 minutes’ walk)
Taxis can drop-off outside the Chapel.
There is very limited parking available for those with accessibility needs only. Please contact supporters@cwgc.org for more information (subject to space availability and, confirmation with the Guardroom staff).
Yes, the Chapel and reception both have accessible entrances.
For service-only tickets you will receive a digital ticket via Eventbrite. This can be printed, or to save paper, we encourage you to show your ticket via your smartphone.
Those attending the reception will need to collect an additional ticket to access the Guards’ Mess before the service. This ticket will be held for you at the reception desk within the Guards’ Chapel.
Tickets are non-transferable and are personal to you and your party for security reasons and you may be asked to produce valid identification to access the event.
We are unable to refund you if you are not able to attend the event. Where the event cannot go ahead, we will make every effort to reschedule the event and provide you with details of the new event.
If you do not wish to attend the event on the rescheduled date, you will be entitled to claim a refund from us. In any event, our total liability if the event is cancelled or rescheduled, is the face value of the ticket.
Please note that only the original purchaser of the ticket is entitled to a refund.
For any special requests please contact supporters@cwgc.org and we will be able to advise further.
We recommend smart dress (semi-formal) but encourage guests to dress comfortably and warmly.
The order of service will be available upon arrival.
There will be live performances from our very special guests Gyles Brandreth and Dr Hilary Jones, music from the Guards’ Chapel Choir, Well-known carols, plus a specially commissioned CWGC carol.
The service will begin at 19.00 and end at 20.30. The reception begins after the service and finishes at 21.30.
If possible, please enter via the public pathway on Birdcage Walk, where you will be directed to the appropriate area.
The mission of the CWGF is to engage and inform the public on the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and to keep the memories and stories of the Commonwealth’s dead of the World Wars alive to preserve them for future generations.
For more information please click here.
Please see Event Terms & Conditions here.