It’s been a tumultuous year for the Royal Family. There was a shaky start to 2024 as both King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales faced cancer journeys alongside each other.
With their health at the forefront of their minds, their absence was felt this year as they took a step back from their roles. Across the pond, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continued to forge their life abroad, with few visits to the UK.
It meant that the ‘slimmed-down monarchy’ Charles has reportedly been striving for was very much that. Here we take a look at some of the memorable Royal Family moments over the past year.
READ MORE: Prince William ‘shares one trait with late Queen Elizabeth’ after difficult year
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One of the biggest headlines of the year was the cancer news of King Charles and Kate Middleton. The royals announced they were both battling cancer within weeks of each other.
The King and the Princess of Wales temporarily stepped back from their duties, remaining out of the spotlight for some time as they focussed on their health. Both have now made a return to public life, carrying out some engagements in recent months.
With both his father and his wife undergoing cancer treatment at the same time, this year has undoubtedly been difficult for Prince William. In November, he described how 2024 had been the ‘hardest year’ in his life.
He told reporters during a visit to South Africa: “It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.”
He added: “I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal.”
Since stepping back as working royals in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made their Montecito home in California the firm base for their family. This year saw the couple venture from their US home on unofficial mini-tours abroad.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Nigeria in May after being invited by the country’s chief of defence staff Christopher Musa. The trip marked the 10th anniversary of Harry’s Invictus Games.
It was also the first time Meghan travelled to Nigeria after a genealogy test revealed she is 43 per cent Nigerian. In August, the couple were invited to Colombia by the country’s vice-president Francia Márquez.
They promoted their charity work over efforts to make the internet safer for children. Part of the visit was also to learn about Colombia’s culture and history.
It was a family photo released for Mother’s Day that unexpectedly became the centre of a royal controversy. Princess Kate and her children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – were pictured in a snap, smiling together.
It marked Kate’s first official photo since she underwent abdominal surgery in January. But soon after, news agencies pulled the photo over apparent issues with the image.
Eagle-eyed fans also spotted ‘errors’ with the photo. Kensington Palace initially did not comment on the speculation but later confirmed Kate had edited it.
In a post on social media, Catherine, Princess of Wales said: “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”
Meghan Markle’s latest venture in 2024 was American Riviera Orchard. The lifestyle brand had its ‘soft launch’ this year – but an official launch date is yet to be announced.
An Instagram account and website has been set up, but neither currently show any information on the brand. Earlier this year, Meghan sent hampers featuring products from her line to A-list friends and celebrities.
This includes Kris Jenner, former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer and Chrissy Teigen. Meghan also suffered a hiccup in autumn when her US trademark application for American Riviera Orchard was knocked back.
But it is understood the Duchess has since made the necessary changes and is ready to launch the brand.
Taylor Swift no doubt caused pandemonium when she brought her Eras Tour to the UK this year – and she took it up a notch when she shared an unbelievable photograph. The popstar posed backstage alongside Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, leaving millions around the world stunned.
The royal trio even took a picture with Taylor’s NFL star boyfriend Travis Kelce. William and his children were among tens of thousands of Swifties at Wembley in June.
The iconic gig even took place on the prince’s 42nd birthday. Taking to social media, Taylor posted the picture and said: “Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start.”
Kensington Palace also shared the moment online and said: “Thank you @taylorswift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErastour” A clip of William letting loose and dancing to ‘Shake It Off’ also went viral.
In June, Princess Anne was admitted to hospital following an incident believed to have involved a horse. The Princess Royal suffered a minor head injury and concussion at her Gatcombe Park home, in Gloucestershire.
It is understood she was walking on her estate and horses were nearby – but she could not recall details of the ordeal. She spent several nights at the Southmead Hospital, in Bristol.
Her medical team said her injuries were consistent with a potential impact from a horse’s head or legs. After leaving hospital, she recovered at home.
It meant that she had to miss a state banquet with the visiting Emperor and Empress of Japan, while a trip to Canada was postponed. She made a phased return to public duties.
The Duke of York’s infamous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis made headlines again this year when two new shows surrounding the 2019 scandal were released. Netflix released ‘Scoop’, featuring Rufus Sewell, Billie Piper, Gillian Anderson and Keeley Hawes.
The drama was adapted from the 2022 book ‘Scoops’ by former Newsnight editor Sam McAlister. This year we also saw Amazon’s A Very Royal Scandal.
Not only did it reflect on the Newsnight interview, but it also retold Maitlis’ journey pre and post interview. The three-part drama starred Michael Sheen as Prince Andrew.
To announce to the world she had completed her cancer treatment, Kate released a short film unlike anything the Royal Family had released before. With William and her children in town, the family could be seen wandering through fields, hand in hand with each other.
In other shots, Kate embraced William as they looked into the distance and she leaned against a tree with her eyes closed as the sun’s rays hit her. It was in this video that she told how her chemotherapy had come to an end and she was focusing on being ‘cancer free’.
The video received mixed reviews, with some praising the family’s candid insight into their life. Others critiqued the glossy post-cancer outlook.
Prince Andrew has come under financial pressure this year over the cost of running his 30-room home at Royal Lodge, in Windsor. The mansion was leased to the prince following the Queen Mother’s death.
Since he was stripped of his royal duties in 2022, it is understood the Duke has struggled with the upkeep of the property. Earlier this year, there were reports that Andrew faced being evicted from his home – where ex-wife Sarah Ferguson also resides.
King Charles reportedly stopped paying for Andrew’s security and decided against continuing to provide his younger brother with a personal allowance. But it is now believed Andrew will be able to stay put after striking a deal with the King.
Before she announced she was undergoing preventative cancer treatment, speculation was growing over Kate Middleton’s whereabouts. In January, it was announced that Kate had been admitted to hospital for planned abdominal surgery.
At the time, Kensington Palace said she was unlikely to return to duties before Easter. But wild conspiracy theories circulated online around her health and marriage.
Then, on March 16, Kate was filmed as she made a visit to the Windsor Farm Shop – which is near her Windsor Castle home. Donning a hoodie and leggings, she was seen alongside William as they carried shopping bags.
Shoppers seemed unfazed by the presence of the royals as they walked outside the shops. Palace sources claimed at the time that it was hoped the video would end the controversy – but they were wrong.
Just days later, it was announced that Kate had started cancer treatment in February.
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