Kate Middleton and Prince William Return to Their Wedding Venue for Queen Elizabeth's Funeral

Kate Middleton and Prince William are honoring Queen Elizabeth in a place that holds special meaning to them all.

The monarch's state funeral was held Monday at Westminster Abbey in London, drawing 2,000 royals, politicians and leaders from around the world. For the new Prince and Princess of Wales, it marked a return to their royal wedding venue. Their children, Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7, also joined their parents in the royal procession behind the Queen's coffin.

Kate, 40, and William, 40, tied the knot in April 2011, with Queen Elizabeth proudly watching in a bright-yellow ensemble.

Courtiers have told PEOPLE that the monarch was uncharacteristically overjoyed on the couple's wedding day, content in the knowledge that the line of succession — so fraught in the years following the checkered marriages of three of her own children — was secure.

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Kurt Krieger/Corbis Queen Elizabeth

Kate arrived at Westminster Abbey with her father, Michael Middleton, in a lace Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding dress.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds climbed into a century-old State Landau carriage for a procession to Buckingham Palace.

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They then appeared on the palace's famous balcony and kissed to cheers from the gathered crowd.

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Westminster Abbey was also the location for Queen Elizabeth's nuptials. The then-Princess Elizabeth walked down the aisle at the famous London church to marry Prince Philip on Nov. 20, 1947.

The wedding brought smiles and celebrations to the nation — something that was certainly needed just two years after the end of World War II.

At the time of their wedding, millions of Britons were living in the aftermath of the bomb-damaged cities and coping with food rations. The wedding service was the first major event after the end of the war.

Hulton Archive/Getty Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day

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Westminster Abbey also served as the location for Queen Elizabeth's 1953 coronation.

While she became the monarch immediately following the sudden death of her father, King George VI, in February 1952, the Queen's coronation was delayed by more than a year.

She was officially crowned on June 2, 1953, in front of 27 million viewers who watched on television, 11 million who tuned in via radio and 8,000 distinguished guests who attended in person.

Tim Graham/Getty Westminster Abbey

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Westminster Abbey also invokes some somber memories for the late monarch and her family members. In March 2022, Westminster Abbey hosted a memorial service for Prince Philip, nearly one year after his death at age 99.

Although a small funeral was held for the Duke of Edinburgh at St. George's Chapel, where Queen Elizabeth will have her committal service after her state funeral on Monday, it was limited in capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The service at the Abbey provided an opportunity for representatives of the many charities and organizations that Prince Philip worked with to pay tribute to him.