Kate Middleton paid special tribute to Queen Elizabeth II ahead of her Christmas carol service, Royal Carols: Together at Christmas. The event took place on Dec. 14, but it wasn’t until days later that Kate’s pre-show tribute was revealed, which you can see here. The Princess of Wales helped plant a wild cherry tree at Westminster Abbey in honor of the late Queen, who died on Sept. 8.
Photos from the ceremony were posted to Instagram, and show Kate shoveling dirt to plant the tree. She stunned in a plaid coat and boots for the occasion. “The Princess of Wales dedicated a tree in Dean’s Yard at Westminster Abbey to mark the memory of her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” the photo caption read. “The tree is a wild cherry tree from the estate of the Duchy of Cornwall. It replaces a horse chestnut tree that was rotten and suffered with Summer Sudden Limb Drop earlier this year.”
This is the second year in a row that Kate hosted her Christmas carol event at Westminster Abbey. It’s also where she married Prince William in 2011, as well as where the Queen wed Prince Philip. The Queen’s coronation in 1953 took place at the landmark, as well, and it was the location of her state funeral following her September 2022 death.
This is the royal family’s first holiday season without the Queen. To honor her, the Royal Carols: Together at Christmas special began with a video tribute that looked back at her meaningful Christmas Day messages over the years. Prince William even read her 2012 Christmas broadcast speech during the event, and Kate honored Her Majesty with Paddington Bear tributes at the ceremony.
This year, King Charles will give the Christmas broadcast for the very first time. It was recently reported by Us Weekly that the King plans on implementing some new traditions this holiday season, as well. However, the mag also said that the Queen’s life and legacy will be remembered throughout the family’s holiday festivities, too.