As 2025 draws to a close, the Royal Family can reflect on a year of profound personal milestones, significant public duties, and unavoidable scandals. The past twelve months have delivered a remarkable mix of joyous health news, historic diplomatic events, and difficult decisions that have reshaped the public face of The Firm.
Personal Triumphs and Family Milestones
The year began with a moment of national relief. In January, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, announced she was in remission from cancer. This positive health update allowed for her gradual return to public royal duties, marking a hugely significant moment for the family and the nation.
Further family joy came in August, when Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips, announced his engagement to NHS nurse Harriet Sperling. In a quieter but notable shift for the Wales family, November saw the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, move into Forest Lodge on the Windsor Estate.
The year was not without sorrow, however. September brought the death of Katharine Worsley, the Duchess of Kent, at the age of 92. She was farewelled by the Royal Family at a service in Westminster Cathedral.
High-Profile Engagements and Unprecedented Actions
On the world stage, King Charles III presided over an extraordinary number of state visits and engagements. In a notable repeat, he hosted US President Donald Trump for a second unprecedented state visit in September. The King also made religious history in October by praying alongside Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, becoming the first British monarch to do so since the Reformation.
The younger generation also stepped up. Prince George undertook more royal engagements, including a visit to the charity The Passage with his father, Prince William, in December. William himself ventured into television, appearing on 'The Reluctant Traveller' with Eugene Levy in October. Meanwhile, Meghan Markle launched her lifestyle brand, As Ever, and the first season of her Netflix programme, 'With Love, Meghan'.
Scandals, Setbacks and a Glimmer of Reconciliation
The year's lows were dominated by the ongoing fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. In a decisive move in October, King Charles stripped his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, of his royal titles over his relationship with the disgraced financier. This unprecedented action permanently altered the structure of the working Royal Family.
Legal challenges continued for the Duke of Sussex. In May, Prince Harry lost an appeal challenging the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office regarding taxpayer-funded protection when in the UK. Yet, a potential thaw in the long-standing rift with his father emerged in September, when Harry reunited with King Charles for a private tea at Clarence House.
In a significant health update concerning the monarch, December saw King Charles announce he would be reducing his cancer treatment, signalling positive progress in his own battle with the illness.
This rollercoaster year of remission announcements, historic visits, family expansions, and painful sanctions sets a complex stage for the Royal Family as they look towards 2026.
