At the dawn of a new decade, we look back at a year of triumphs and tragedies, highs and lows for Britain’s Royal Family for the year that was 2019
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The New Year is here and with it a new decade. We turn the page on the 2010s and usher in what we hope will be a year of progress and growth across multiple fronts in the 2020s.
Like a scrapbook of our history, Britain’s Royal Family, led by the seemingly ever-present Queen Elizabeth II, have been there every step of the way, evolving (mostly) with the times.
The Newfoundland Herald takes a look back through the past year for the year that was 2019 as told by the dominating headlines concerning the monarchy.
From great triumphs backed by tragedy, impossible highs and embarrassing lows, here are a slice of the stories that dominated the news-media on all things Royal in 2019.
Archie Mountbatten-Windsor
The consensus number one moment in all the Royal review for 2019 isn’t a scandal, loss or conquest, but a birth. Prince Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, was born on May 6th at the Portland Hospital in London.
Forgoing the option to use his parents’ royal titles, Master Mount-Batten-Windsor received immense and immediate media attention upon his arrival this past spring. His baptism at Windsor Castle on July 6th was heavily covered by the media.
Honouring Diana’s Legacy
Princes William and Harry have always aimed to follow in their mothers lofty footsteps, doing as good onto others as they’d wish upon themselves.
The Duke of Sussex took that one step further in 2019, literally retracing the steps of his late mother Princess Diana during his tour of Africa.
One particularly emotional moment included the Prince visiting Angola, walking the path where land-mines once lay, nearly identical to that of his mother decades earlier, carrying on her work and legacy.
Will and Kate’s Royal Tour
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge put in their royal duties in 2019, making the rounds across nations and continents as ambassadors of the crown.
While the miles covered were extensive, one particularly noteworthy stop was Pakistan. Described as being “complex” to organize, the Duke and Duchesses’ visit to Pakistan was well received, including a visit to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, complete with Duchess Kate Middleton donning a special Shalwar Kameez.
Princess Charlotte’s First Day! 
We all remember our first day of school. The nervousness, the apprehension, maybe even the fun times. First days of school are always something memorable. Amplify that with royal titles and massive press coverage, and you’ve got a full-fledged worldwide event.
That was the case for Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who began her schooling at St Thomas’s Battersea alongside brother Prince George.
Lady Gabriella Windsor Weds
A royal wedding is always a sight to behold. The wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor, daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, was no exception, as she tied the knot with longtime partner Thomas Kingston.
The event, which took place at the popular royal wedding destination of St George’s Chapel in Windsor this past Spring, was well attended and covered by the press.
Among those in attendance were The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh (in something of a rare appearance these days), as well as Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton and Lady Amelia Windsor.
Trump Gets Royal Treatment
Everywhere President Donald Trump goes, controversy tends to follow. There was no exception when the President made a stately visit to the UK at the beginning of 2019. The visit was well documented by the media, with thousands lining London’s streets in protest of the President’s actions across the pond.
On the state-visit side of things, President Trump and his entire family were invited to Buckingham Palace for a black-tie affair that featured the entire Trump family.
Overall, 170 guests in total chowed down on halibut, lamb and strawberry sable, not to mention pricey wine.
Prince Andrew’s Scandal
No royal had themselves as big a mess in 2019 as Prince Andrew, who found himself at the center of a media fire storm following various claims that he was linked with the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Epstein victim Virgina Roberts Guiffre accused Prince Andrew of having sex with her, something that was well documented in the disastrous Newsnight interview. The Duke of York stepped down from his royal duties shortly after, at the urging of the Queen and Prince of Wales.
Prince Philip’s Crash
The Duke of Edinburgh had himself in a fine royal state in January of last year, as Prince Philip was involved in a car crash as he pulled onto a main road near Sandringham Estate.
The 97-year-old was uninjured but was sent to a local hospital as a precautionary measure. Following a written apology Prince Philip surrendered his drivers license three weeks after the incident. The Crown Prosecution Service announced they would not be prosecuting the Duke of Edinburgh as it would be against public interest.
Princess Beatrice Engagement
Princess Beatrice, daughter of the now shamed Prince Andrew of York and Sarah Duchess of York, announced her engagement to Italian mogul and property millionaire Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in September of 2019.
The engagement comes only months after the couple first got together, sources close to them indicate. The wedding is supposedly taking place in a ‘low key’ venue, rather than traditional royal thresholds like Windsor Castle or Westminster Abbey.
Agree with our list? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments or email [email protected]