Royal Family in 2021: Analysing a tough year for the Queen

‘Well ... Where do we f...ing start”, was the meme of the Christmas season in 2020. The crass phrase was plastered across a image of the Queen as she presented her annual Christmas message. And it’s fair to say, no one would disagree if it were recycled for this year’s thoughts about the year that was. With the monarch set to once more sit down in front of the cameras next week and, in her inimitable way, encourage her subjects to keep calm and carry on, it seems that 2021 may be the toughest 12 months the modern day royals and Old Blighty have encountered. The House of Commons has seemingly turned into a day care for overgrown man babies. COVID is back (yet again) and No.10 is the new age Versailles, if the commentary about beleaguered Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to be believed. Meanwhile, things are just are chaotic inside the House of Windsor. It’s Annus horribilis: The Sequel. Twenty-nine years ago, the Queen delivered one of her most memorable speeches, in which she referred to the previous 12 months in typically stoic fashion. “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an annus horribilis. I suspect that I am not alone in thinking it so. Indeed, I suspect that there are very few people or institutions unaffected by these last months of worldwide turmoil and uncertainty,” she said during a speech marking her 40th year on the throne before Christmas. She was referring to the break down of three of her children’s marriages, including that of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and a fire that caused about $68 million in damage to her home at Windsor Castle, which brought her finances into focus. She later described a tumultuous 2019 — during which the 97-year-old Prince Philip had a car accident, Prince Andrew stepped back from royal duties in the wake of a disastrous interview about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and the rift between princes William and Harry hit the spotlight — as “quite bumpy” during her televised December 25 broadcast. While the Queen has not been shy to admit to bad times over her seven-decade reign, her end-of-year speeches often carry an overarching message of hope, regardless of the mood outside her gilded cage. Her address last year hewed to that tradition as she focused on acts of empathy and kindness that brought people together in the face of the pandemic. “Let the light of Christmas, the spirit of selflessness, love and, above all, hope, guide us in the times ahead,” she said. But if the Queen thought 2020 was tough with “Megxit” and the continual noise around Andrew’s alleged involvement in an international underage sex racket, 2021 was a year like no other for the 95-year-old who has previously navigated world wars, severe economic downturns and messy family dramas. Between Harry and Meghan Markle’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, the death of the Duke of Edinburgh and the royals’ post-pandemic return to work, 2021 has been a roller coaster for The Firm. Concerns over the Queen’s health were sparked by a series of missed public engagements towards the end of the year, though fears about anything serious being amiss were downplayed by the House of Windsor. One of the most enduring images of not only 2021, but potentially her entire reign, will be the photograph of the Queen sitting alone in St George’s Chapel during Prince Phillip’s funeral service. The Duke died in April when strict COVID lockdowns and protocols were in place. His devoted wife, adhering to the health advice, sat by herself and cut a solemn figure as she sat, slightly hunched and wearing a mask as she mourned her biggest supporter of the past 74-years . All of the guests who were not members of the same household were required to sit around 2m apart. — this included Harry, who attended alone, and Andrew. The moving ceremony was broadcast around the world but attended only by family. The Duke was laid to rest inside the Royal Vault inside St Georges Chapel in Windsor, signalling the end of his almost 100-year epic international journey, which started when he was born on a dining room table on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921. Headaches and angst Before the world witnessed the reunion of Harry with his family at his grandfather’s funeral, the former senior royal had caused months of headaches and angst for his family and the family business. On Valentine’s Day, Harry and Meghan — now living in California with their son Archie and a couple of chickens in the backyard — announced they were expecting their second child. “We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child,” a statement read, accompanied with a photo of the couple sitting in a forest cradling Meghan’s swelling tummy. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born in June, is the Queen’s 11th great-grandchild and is the eighth in line to the throne. No photos of her have been released. The Queen — known affectionately as “Gan-Gan” to her grandchildren — welcomed three other great-grandies this year, including August Philip Hawke Brooksbank (son of Princess Eugenie) and Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi (daughter of Princess Beatrice). Before the good news, came the uncomfortably candid chat Harry and Meghan participated in with US talk show icon Oprah. They shocked the world with their candour, in particular with their claims of racism in the royal household. The couple opened up about everything from their mental health struggles to why they chose to step back from the royal family. They said Meghan had experienced racism at the hands of a senior member of the royal family and that she was not offered any help when she told staff she was having suicidal thoughts. “I was told that I couldn’t (get help), that it wouldn’t be good for the institution,” Meghan told Oprah. “I said: ‘I need help’, (human resources) said: ‘My heart goes out to you because I see how bad it is, but there’s nothing we can do to protect you because you’re not a paid employee of the institution.’” The couple continued to make headlines for everything from calling for COVID vaccine equity to visiting the UN in New York and headlining the Global Citizen Live concert and Harry advocating for more people to get on board The Great Resignation trend spawned by the pandemic. “On the surface it looks like these last couple of years brought all these issues to the foreground, the reality is these struggles and issues have been brewing for quite some time ... We’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening,” he said. Tensions persist The apparent rift between princes William and Harry was one of the most enduring stories of 2021. Tensions were analysed when the brothers did not walk side-by-side at their grandfather’s funeral but appeared to have dissipated in July when their unveiled a statue of their late mother Princess Diana on what would have been her 60th birthday. “Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy,” they said in a joint statement. Charles stepped up his public appearances after recovering from COVID and following his father’s death. Unlike his mother, he is not afraid to speak candidly on topics he is passionate about, including environmental issues. He shot an arrow across Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s bow ahead of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. When a BBC interviewer told the Prince Morrison had not officially confirmed his attendance, Australia’s future monarch said he was aware he would be accused of meddling but action was needed immediately. “The point being that this is a last-chance saloon, literally. Because if we don’t really take the decisions that are vital now, it’s going to be almost impossible to catch up,” Charles said. William followed his lead and fired up about billionaires, like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s Elon Musk, who chose to go to space instead of implement plans to save this planet. “We need some of the world’s greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live,” the prince said. The Duchess of Cambridge continued to go from strength to strength in her role as a senior working royal, attending numerous public functions alone and with aplomb. The education and mental health of young Britons were causes she championed hard in 2021, hosting many Zoom seminars with various organisations and even got involved with a national treasure hunt where she hid letters inside copies of her new photography book, Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020 around the country. Hard days ahead But cracks continue to emerge in the monarchy. Prince Andrew’s connection to Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite known for her association with financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was again in the news as she faced trail for her involvement in an international sex ring. Meanwhile a more immediate threat for the royals could be the global disinterest in their official roles. As the republican movement in Australia continues to build steam, it reached fever pitch in Barbados in 2021. The Caribbean country was one of the Queen’s 16 realms before it transitioned to a republic and replaced her as it’s head of state with President Dame Sandra Mason. Singer Rhianna was made an official national hero before it plans to roll out a basic universal income to all citizens. As to what will become of the royal family, the main priority now is ensuring the Queen remains in good health, something that has been of concern to royal watchers since a back sprain saw her miss key events including Remembrance Day at the cenotaph in November. While all eyes will be on whose photos will be on her mantelpiece during her Christmas message next week, there’s no doubt the Queen’s words of wisdom will captivate and inspire us all as each of us tries to put out the bin fire that was 2021.

Royal Family in 2021: Analysing a tough year for the Queen

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