Westminster Abbey bells rung in celebration of Prince William's 41st birthday

Westminster Abbey, the place where Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot in 2011, played its bells in celebration of the Prince of Wales's 41st birthday for the first time since 2019.

A mesmerising clip 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 big day since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial strain the global crisis put on the London landmark. The Abbey reportedly updated its bell-ringing schedule for 2022, confirming the change in 2021.

In consultation with Buckingham Palace, the bells will now ring only for the birthdays of the Queen and the Prince of Wales. However, following the Queen's death in 2022, the tradition was extended to include 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.