Is it 2022 yet? It has been a rough year for the Royal Family

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Like everyone else, the Royal Family has had a wild 2021.

Quarantines were had, royal duties were still performed — both virtual and in-person — and babies were born. Sisters/Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice welcomed their firstborns. The Queen’s granddaughter, Zara Tindall, had son, Lucas Philip, on her bathroom floor because she was unable to make it to the hospital in time.

And, of course, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the birth of their second child,  Lilibet Diana.

It’s been nearly two years since Harry and Meghan decided to “step back as senior members” of the Royal Family to split their time between the United Kingdom and North America, and “work towards” becoming financially independent.

They’ve embarked on different kinds of duties – all while staying in the spotlight. And therein lies the rub.

For a couple who claims they lack privacy, they sure like to share details of their private lives, whether it’s in a podcast or a documentary, a letter to U.S. Congress, or while promoting their multiple media ventures.

As for returning to the U.K., that’s been a bit of a farce as Meghan has not been back once, while Harry has only returned a handful of times. And word on the street is they are not making their way back anytime soon.

Despite it being the Queen’s first Christmas since losing Prince Philip, it is widely believed the Sussexes will not be at Sandringham House to celebrate Christmas and introduce their daughter to the Royal Family during an in-person visit.

That being said, there’s more to the Royal Family than the couple who removed themselves from that royal life.

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The interview heard ‘round the world

Sunday, March 7, 2021, will forever live in infamy as Harry and Meghan sat down with Oprah Winfrey and shocked viewers with their brutal honesty about their mental health struggles and their decision to step away from royal life. Winfrey confirmed the couple did not receive any cash for the interview, but it still paid off in dividends, keeping them relevant as they continued to spill royal secrets.

R.I.P. Prince Philip

The Duke of Edinburgh passed away on April 9, just two months shy of his 100th birthday, with his funeral held eight days later. By then, Meghan was too far along in her pregnancy to fly, but Prince Harry travelled from their California home to attend and had tongues wagging when he did not walk next to Prince William.

Battling brothers reunited

In the midst of all the feud talk, Princes William and Harry showed a united front at Kensington Palace as they unveiled a statue of their late mom, 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 statement.

Prince Andrew got served

Prince Andrew was served with a civil lawsuit by Virginia Giuffre on Aug. 9, alleging the royal had sex with her two decades earlier while she was underage — which was around the same time Andrew’s friend, billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was allegedly sexually abusing her. Andrew rejected the allegations and has urged a U.S. judge to dismiss her lawsuit.

Prince Charles and closest aide cut ties

Reports in September claimed Michael Fawcett, Prince Charles’ right-hand man of four decades, helped secure a knighthood and British citizenship for a Saudi billionaire donor. He stepped down as CEO of the royal’s charities two months later.

H&M head to New York City

Harry and Meghan appeared at the Global Citizen Live festival in Central Park during their visit to New York City. It was a productive trip, as they visited the 9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center, discussed global vaccine equity with public health leaders, visited students at a Harlem public school, and attended the star-studded Global Citizen Live event.

They returned to NYC seven weeks later to attend the annual Salute To Freedom Gala, where Harry gave a speech, touching on his military experience and time spent in the U.S.

Royal Bond

It was a family affair as Kate Middleton, Prince William, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Prince Charles got dolled up to attend the world premiere of No Time to Die.

How sick is Queen Elizabeth really?

Queen Elizabeth spent an October night in hospital for what the Palace referred to as “preliminary investigations.” But unlike so many other times before, Her Majesty did not bounce back right away — though that was likely due to doctors’ orders. She was informed to take a breather and when a reported sprained back forced her to stay off her feet even longer, people grew concerned. However, we needn’t have worried. She was back on her feet by Remembrance Day to attend services and has since embarked on engagements.