Prince William is reflecting on the special moments he spent with his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth.
Following her death in September 2022 , Queen Elizabeth is being commemorated in an evolving digital tribute in which members of the public and prominent figures are encouraged to share their thoughts on the iconic monarch.
In a short video tribute, the Prince of Wales, 44, recalled routinely having tea with the late Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip at Windsor Castle. He would often visit them when he was at nearby Eton College, in the town neighboring Windsor, for chats over tea and cake.
More recently, Prince William moved to live in the Windsor estate, with wife Kate Middleton and their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8.
In his tribute, Prince William revealed his “fondest memories” of Queen Elizabeth center on seeing her relaxing at home at Windsor Castle.
“Whilst I had the privilege to know the late Queen better than most, some of my fondest memories of my grandmother are from here in Windsor. I remember many a quiet afternoon, having tea with her and my grandfather at the castle, chatting, sharing stories, and seeing how completely at ease she was here, surrounded by family and her much-loved dogs and horses,” William said in the recording.
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“To this day, she’s given me a love of teatime that I never knew I needed. Watching her ride her horses in the Great Park, even well into her later years, showed a side of Granny the world didn’t often see – off-duty, relaxed and utterly at home,” he continued.
“These moments with my grandmother are ones I’ll always hold dear,” Prince William concluded.
The memorial is part of the commemorations of what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday in April 2026. The monarch lived until she was 96 — a lifetime that included the longest-ever reign of 70 years. Her husband Philip died in 2021.
The digital memorial was launched on April 21, as King Charles and Queen Camilla viewed plans for a memorial in Queen Elizabeth’s honor.
At the British Museum, the royal couple were shown a scale model of the planned memorial and statues of Charles’ parents, as well as artworks and a short film featuring imagery of the designs.
On the day, Alex Holmes, member of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, told PEOPLE, it was “the culmination of two years of work” which saw them seeking opinions from around the U.K. about the best way to honor the iconic sovereign.
“We’ve spent a long time speaking not just to those who knew the Queen well but community organizations across the U.K.,” he said. “The memorial park in St. James’s Park is going to be a really beautiful place that brings people together in the same way that the Queen did.”
“She had that ability to bring people together whether it was intergenerational or from different faiths or communities,” said Holmes.
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