Sunday night marked the return of the Royal Variety Performance and, with many musical numbers packed into the three-hour annual entertainment show, one performance by Jessie J in particular sparked a three-word reaction from the Princess of Wales.
The Royal Variety Performance aired on ITV on Sunday night, with cameras capturing the royal couple's reactions from the Royal Box at the Royal Albert Hall. The annual event, held in aid of the Royal Variety Charity, is a long-standing fixture in the royal calendar and regularly attended by senior members of the Royal Family.
HELLO!'s royal reporter Alex Hurtado, who attended the event, shared further insight into the couple's appearance on the night, saying: "The Prince and Princess of Wales were so in sync as they stepped out on the red carpet, both wearing velvet.
"William was so supportive of his wife and sweetly put his hand on her back as they walked in. They were also very generous with their time, stopping to chat to Colonel Jane Davis, Vice Lord-Lieutenant for Greater London, and the President and CEO of the Royal Albert Hall, James Max and James Ainscough, despite the freezing temperatures."
Sitting with her husband Prince William, Kate watched on as Jessie J delivered an emotional rendition of her song 'I'll Never Know Why'. The track was written in memory of Jessie's close friend and former bodyguard, who died seven years ago.
Kate's three-word response to Jessie J's Royal Variety Performance
At the end of the performance, Kate was seen applauding before turning to her left and saying: "It's very moving." The comment was caught on camera during ITV's broadcast of the event.
It wasn't just the princess who was affected by the song, with many viewers taking to X, formerly Twitter, to share their reactions.
"I just watched Jessie J's Royal Variety performance. Just so moving and so raw. Always reach out, you're never alone @samaritans," wrote one viewer, while another said: "I am so proud of Jessie J, and I'm so pleased she got to perform 'I'll never know why' @RoyalAlbertHall tonight on the Royal Variety Show. She has created a soundtrack to help others navigate different types of grief whilst sharing her story of grief."
A third person added: "@JessieJ just stole the Royal Variety Performance. Amazing."
What is the meaning behind Jessie J's song?
Jessie J's song, 'I'll never know why', was written in memory of her close friend and security guard, who passed away seven years ago.
Speaking about the song on ITV's This Morning, Jessie told hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley: "He decided he didn't want to be here seven years ago. And five years ago, I wrote this song called 'I'll Never Know Why' and I actually wasn't going to put it on the album. And when I played it to my new team, they were like, 'You have to. It's going to help so many people."
Jessie performed the song at the Royal Albert Hall wearing a black tracksuit with the words "Do you have a hoodie?" embroidered on the back. "Because that's what he'd ask me every time I go for a walk: do you have a hoodie? You've got a hoodie, girl?" Jessie explained. "He's an Essex boy."
If you or someone you know has been affected by similar issues, support is available via organisations such as Samaritans.
What else happened at the Royal Variety Performance?
The jam-packed show, hosted by comedian Jason Manford, opened with Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins performing the National Anthem and also featured appearances from Stephen Fry, Westlife and Britain's Got Talent winner and magician Harry Moulding.
The evening also included theatrical performances from the casts of Kinky Boots, Just For One Day and Paddington: The Musical.
Viewers were quick to praise the latter, with many hailing it as one of the highlights of the night.
"Watching Paddington on the Royal Variety Performance and falling in love all over again. What an incredible show," wrote one person, while another said: "Okay, I have to go and see Paddington the Musical in London after seeing that performance at Royal Variety Performance."
A third added: "Watching Paddington walk on to the stage at the Royal Variety Performance is one of those emotional moments that theatre can give you. It was charming, clever and moving: a reminder of how powerful live performance can be."