Abbey marks January 9 with a public tribute
Westminster Abbey in London marked Princess Kate Middleton’s 44th birthday by ringing its bells at 1:00 p.m. on January 9, 2026. The Abbey social media account posted the moment and described it as a special honor for the Princess of Wales. The church is also linked to the couple because Kate and Prince William were married there in 2011.
The Abbey bells are ringing out to celebrate the birthday of HRH The Princess of Wales 🎈
Our bell ringers are ringing 344 changes of Erin Caters followed by 544 changes of Spliced Surprise Royal pic.twitter.com/6qG38qsUTc
— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) January 9, 2026
“The Abbey bells are ringing out to celebrate the birthday of HRH The Princess of Wales,” the post said. “Our bell ringers are ringing 344 changes of Erin Caters followed by 544 changes of Spliced Surprise Royal.”
The bell tradition changed after financial pressure
The Abbey once rang bells for the birthdays of many members of the royal family. Before 2020, the celebrations included Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, their children, and other close relatives, including Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton and their three kids. The tradition was later reduced because the Abbey faced financial issues linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to this reason, the list of birthdays became smaller, only keeping the honor for the-then Prince Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth.
William and Kate were added back in 2023
Things took a turn for a more inclusive approach after Queen Elizabeth died in 2022 and Charles became king. The list was reviewed again in 2023, with Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton returning to the schedule as the new Prince and Princess of Wales. As of now, the Abbey website shows dates for the first half of the year. It lists King Charles’ official birthday in June 2026, Prince William’s 44th birthday in the same month, and Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s 69th birthday on June 10, 2026.
