MONARCHY’S CORE
IT HAS BEEN A TUMULTUOUS YEAR FOR ENGLAND’S ROYAL FAMILY AS THE QUEEN OUTLINED IN HER CHRISTMAS MESSAGE, WHERE SHE DISCUSSED THE HIGHLIGHTS AND CHALLENGES OF THE PAST YEAR AND HER HOPES FOR THE YEAR TO COME. IT WAS A TRICKY TASK FOLLOWING WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE MOST DESTABILISING PERIOD FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY IN DECADES. AND LOOK BACK AT THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF 2019 FOR THE ROYALS.
Archie Harrison MountbattenWindsor lifted the British public’s mood when he arrived at 5.26am local time on May 6, weighing 7lbs 3oz (3.26kg). Prince Harry was beaming when he broke the news a few hours after the birth. The streets of Windsor were abuzz, with some people sleeping out in the cold for days and nights. Secrecy surrounded the birth, with Meghan Markle actually giving birth at the Portland Hospital in London after going past her reported due date. She broke with tradition and did not pose for a photograph shortly after the birth. Instead she and Harry waited a couple of days to show off their son, when he met his grandparents.
Royal biographer Penny Junor said Archie’s birth was a wonderful moment, even if Harry and Meghan were a little too media-shy.
“It was a bit of a disappointment they were so secretive with the birth and not allowing any media into the christening,” she said. “But aside from that, it brought great excitement. Babies make everyone happy and the family seems to think it all went well.”
Prince William and Kate
steadied
can be,” he said. “Harry is literally following in Diana’s footsteps and like her is able to harness his connection to celebrities to do good work – we will see more of that next year.”
Remember when everyone was begging for the throne to skip Prince Charles? Those days are gone. He was a pillar of stability during the tour as the palace was falling down around his younger brother Andrew in November. He was described as down to earth and funny after his documentary aired on ITV in October.
Ms Junor said the trip was a sign of Charles and his wife Camilla’s growing power in the royal family. “Charles is very keen to slim down the royal family and I think that’s a good thing,” she said. “Charles understands that the problems are coming from the extended family. The core of the monarchy – the Queen, Charles and Camilla, William and Kate – is as strong as ever.”
The young princess was all grown up when she joined her brother Prince George at school at Thomas’s Battersea in south London in September. She was greeted by head teacher Helen Haslem, who appeared relaxed in the royal company. Kate was like any other school mum, while Prince William chimed in: “It’s her first day, she’s very excited.”