The Prince of Wales was treated to a very special moment on Wednesday as he turned 41. Westminster Abbey, the place where he and his then fiancée Kate Middleton tied the knot in 2011, played its bells in honour of William's birth date for the first time since 2019.
A video of the moment was shared on the Abbey's official Twitter page with the caption: "Wishing HRH The Prince of Wales a very happy birthday today! The Abbey bell ringers are ringing 541 changes of Stedman Caters followed by a course of London Surprise Royal in celebration."
The bells have not been rung for William's birthday since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial strain the global crisis put on the London landmark.
Westminster Abbey updated its bell-ringing schedule for 2022, confirming the change in 2021. A spokesperson explained to HELLO! that the bell-ringing honour would only be reserved for the Queen and Prince Charles going forwards.
© GettyAt the time, they said: "The Abbey bells can be heard ringing out before services and in celebration of church festivals. The bells have also traditionally been rung to mark the birthdays of senior members of the Royal Family.
"Due to the financial challenges posed to the Abbey by the Covid-19 pandemic, and in consultation with Buckingham Palace, the bells will now ring only for the birthdays of HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales."
However, following Her Majesty's death in 2022, the tradition was extended to include Prince William, his wife Kate, and Queen Camilla. The Abbey's six-month schedule online shows that the bells will indeed ring for the next royal birthday on Monday 17th July, when Queen Camilla turns 76, and for King Charles on Tuesday 14th November when the monarch celebrates his 75th birthday.
The tradition is strictly limited to these four senior royals.
© GettyHow is Prince William celebrating his birthday?
While William was no doubt marking his birthday in private with his wife Kate and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, public tributes were shared by members of the royal family online.
The King's account was one of the first to post, with a photo showing William and Charles having a sweet father-son moment during rehearsals for the King's coronation ceremony earlier this year. William was seen assisting his father with his ceremonial robes as the pair smiled. "Wishing the Prince of Wales a very happy birthday today!" the Instagram caption read.
