“Kate, this is our song!” Prince William, 43, glowed with love on June 21, 2025, as Ellie Goulding, 38, surprised 50 close friends and family at Windsor Castle’s fairy-lit garden for his birthday, per The Telegraph. With only a piano and starlight, her tender How Long Will I Love You filled the air, as Princess Kate, 43, squeezed William’s hand, their children—George, 11, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, 7—giggling nearby. William, embracing Ellie, whispered, “Perfect,” as lanterns flickered. X swelled with #WilliamEllieMagic, fans weeping, “Pure love!”. Is this the monarchy’s sweetest night?
Prince Charles and Queen Camilla arrived first, followed by Princess Anne, then Zara and Mike Tindall with their children. George, Charlotte, and Louis bounced with excitement, handing their father homemade cards covered in stick figures, glitter, and love. Kate gave William a knowing smile. “Tonight,” she whispered, “is just for you.”
As the guests mingled and laughter echoed through the garden, a hush began to fall. The lights dimmed gently, and a soft golden spotlight lit the small stage.
William looked up from his seat — just as Ellie Goulding stepped into view.
He gasped softly. “No way.”
The crowd broke into warm applause. Kate grinned. “Surprise.”
Ellie, dressed in a flowing ivory gown with minimal makeup and a glowing smile, waved shyly. “Happy birthday, Your Royal Highness,” she teased. “But more importantly… happy birthday, Will.”
William rose to greet her with a heartfelt hug. The two had shared a unique friendship for over a decade — not just as public figures, but as real friends. Ellie had performed “Your Song” at William and Kate’s 2011 wedding reception, a moment still cherished by both.
“I couldn’t not be here tonight,” Ellie said, settling at the grand piano placed center stage. “This next song… well, I think you’ll know why I chose it.”
The first gentle notes filled the garden — the opening chords of “How Long Will I Love You”.
Silence fell.
It was as if the garden itself was holding its breath. The guests sat transfixed, their champagne flutes still in hand, eyes locked on the stage.
Ellie’s voice, soft but powerful, carried emotion that seemed to echo through the trees and stars alike. The lyrics — simple yet haunting — drifted across the crowd:
“How long will I love you? As long as stars are above you… and longer if I can…”
William blinked, visibly moved. Kate slipped her hand into his, her thumb gently brushing his knuckles. The two didn’t need to say a word. Everything was understood in the glance they shared — a glance full of years, of shared joys and trials, of resilience.
Ellie wasn’t just singing a song. She was delivering a time capsule — a love letter in melody that spanned back to that magical wedding night and carried forward to everything they’d become since.
When the final note faded into the summer air, there was a long pause — then a surge of applause. But it wasn’t loud. It was tender, like the night itself.
William stood again, walked to the stage, and embraced Ellie once more. “Thank you,” he said softly. “That meant more than I can say.”
