> At a Glance
> – Westminster Abbey’s bells rang at 1 p.m. on Jan. 9 to mark Kate Middleton’s 44th birthday
> – The Abbey now honors only four birthdays annually after pandemic cutbacks
> – Kate and Prince William were restored to the short list after Charles became king
> – Why it matters: The scaled-back tradition signals which royals now hold highest institutional favor
The bells of Westminster Abbey sounded for Princess Kate on her birthday, placing her among a select group still celebrated by the historic church.
A Pared-Down Tradition
Before 2020, the Abbey rang for 12 royals, including the late Queen, Prince Philip, their children, and the Wales family. Budget pressures from COVID-19 trimmed the list to just Queen Elizabeth and then-Prince Charles in 2022.
After Elizabeth’s death, King Charles kept the shortened schedule and added Prince William and Princess Kate as the new Prince and Princess of Wales.
Who Still Gets Bells in 2025
The Abbey’s published calendar for the first half of the year shows only four birthdays:
- Jan. 9 – Princess of Wales
- June – King Charles’s official birthday
- June – Prince William’s 44th birthday
- June 10 – Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, age 69
A Personal Connection
The Abbey holds special meaning for Kate: it hosted her 2011 wedding and her annual “Together at Christmas” carol service. At the 2025 service she wrote:
> “We are drawn by an instinctive pull towards belonging and connection… Our words, our choices, and even the ways we look out for one another – they ripple outward.”
Key Takeaways
- Only four individuals now receive the bell honor each year
- Kate and William regained their spots after Charles became king
- The COVID-19 pandemic permanently shrank the royal bell list
- Westminster Abbey continues to highlight the Waleses’ central role
