Remember Kate and William’s 20-Feet Wedding Trees? They Are Still Growing 15 Years Later
When Prince William and Kate Middleton walked down the aisle of Westminster Abbey in 2011, they didn’t just bring the eyes of the world into the historic venue. They brought the English countryside with them! In a move that redefined royal wedding decor, the couple lined their path with a literal indoor forest of 20-foot-tall trees, creating a woodland sanctuary that felt both grand and remarkably intimate. Now, nearly 15 years later, those same trees are doing exactly what the royal marriage has done: standing tall and continuing to grow.
The lush greenery—comprising six field maples and two hornbeams—was more than just a stylistic choice. Recommended by the then-Prince Charles and designed by floral mastermind Shane Connolly, the trees were selected to reflect the happy couple’s love for the great outdoors. But their journeys didn’t end when the “I dos” were over. In a nod to the sustainable ethos that now defines the House of Windsor, the trees were carefully replanted, as PEOPLE notes. After a brief stint at Charles’ Highgrove estate, six of the trees from the ceremony found their forever home at Llwynywermod, a Welsh farmhouse near Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, according to the BBC. Interestingly, while the property belonged to King Charles at the time of the wedding, it is now owned by William himself through the Duchy of Cornwall.
The man who made the indoor forest a reality, Shane Connolly, was recently honored with an MBE by Princess Anne at Windsor Castle on January 13. For Connolly, the trees were never about just aesthetics; they were about a message. At the time of the wedding, he told the BBC that the maples symbolized “reserve and humility,” while the hornbeams represented “resilience.” Adding to it, the Irish florist explained, "The aim is that the Abbey looks unpretentious and simple and natural and that it reflects the fact that Catherine is a country girl at heart and that the couple are the best of British." But Kate didn’t just stop at trees.
The Princess of Wales used greenery to send a secret message on her big day. Her bridal bouquet famously included Sweet William flowers—a literal and lovely nod to her groom—alongside Lily of the Valley for the return of happiness. It’s a symbolic choice that feels particularly poignant today. The Princess of Wales has frequently returned to these themes of nature and the outdoors in her work on early childhood development and, more recently, as a cornerstone of her own path to healing and recovery.
The wedding forest sparked a tradition that Kate keeps alive to this day. Every year for her annual Christmas carol service at the Abbey, the Princess imports fir trees from royal estates to decorate the space. True to the couple’s spirit, these trees don't go to waste. After the festivities, they are donated to charities—including homeless centers visited by William and Prince George. Much like those original wedding maples thriving in the Welsh soil, these gestures ensure that a single moment of royal celebration continues to provide a bit of shelter and beauty for years to come.