Poignant meaning behind William and Kate's trip for Queen's death anniversary
The Prince and Princess of Wales will visit a poignant location for an emotional engagement on the first anniversary of the late Queen's death.
The couple will be at St David's Cathedral in Wales on September 8 to honour the former monarch, while King Charles spends the day privately at Balmoral, where his late mother died almost one year ago.
It is believed that the day of the anniversary will see William and Kate reflect on the Queen’s long reign and life, but they will also use the opportunity to "look forward". And it appears the location of where they will do this has a moving significance and a unique connection to the former monarch.
William and Kate are set to visit Wales next month (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)That's because St David's Cathedral, unlike others, has the sovereign as a member of its Cathedral Chapter, or governing body. This also means that since the Reformation, they have had a personal stall in the Quire of the building - and the late Queen took her place in her special seat on her several visits to the church.
In fact, one of her most memorable visits to St David's Cathedral came at Easter in 1982, when she visited to distribute the annual Maundy Money - marking the first time that the monarch had travelled outside of England to carry out the service. She also made a special trip to St David's in 1995, when she conferred city status - and to this day it is still Britain's smallest city. Elizabeth II was also the first monarch to visit the cathedral since the Reformation.
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William is not expected to speak at the cathedral but the couple will be shown around the ancient church in the UK’s smallest city. Kensington Palace did not comment. Palace officials said Charles, 74, will spend the anniversary “quietly and privately, just as the late Queen did to mark her own father’s passing”. She stayed at Sandringham in Norfolk until after the anniversary of George VI’s death, on February 6, following the Christmas break.
The Queen with Kate Middleton and Prince William (AFP via Getty Images)A royal source said: “Her Majesty’s passing was an event that truly signified the end of an era. The Royal Family has been in transition since then and following the Coronation and conclusion of the summer holidays, there will be an expectation to see what is next.”
Plans for the anniversary of the late Queen's death come as members of the Royal Family begin to gather in Scotland for their annual summer holiday at Balmoral. The King took up residence at Balmoral Castle earlier this week and it is expected that William and Kate and their three children will join him.
And sources have revealed the monarch will hold a royal summit to lay out the future direction of the monarchy during the holiday. He will tell the Prince and Princess of Wales of his intention to carve out precise roles for them as well as himself and Queen Camilla. Central to his plans will be to use William and Kate’s “star quality” to help bind the Commonwealth together.
A source close to the King said: “His Majesty is very clear. The Commonwealth must be at the very heart of his reign. He sees it as his utmost duty to fulfil the sincere wish of his late mother, that one of his central roles must be to ensure not only the survival but the robustness (of the organisation).”
Charles will deliver objectives for at least the next year, including foreign travel, engagements and key aims. The source said The King sees the roles of William and Kate “being at the heart of cementing their own future and that of the monarchy at large”. Insiders suggest the King is very keen to capitalise on their increasing popularity with “The Princess’s undoubted star quality”, as one official described.
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