It's been a challenging year for the British monarchy with two of its most popular members stepping back from royal life, another two contracting Covid-19 and accusations continuing to swirl around the Queen's favourite son.
But younger members of the royal family have started emerging from the shadows, bringing with them some much needed freshness and charm.
The Windsors’ year kicked off with a right royal bombshell after The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their time as royals was up – a move one royal commentator called a moment of “civil war”.
Emergency family talks were launched in the wake of 'Megxit' which brought a compromise from the Queen - a year-long stand-down from royal duty for Harry and Meghan, who were seemingly set on an independent life in the United States.
In March, Covid-19 hit the royal family with Prince Charles revealing he'd fully recovered from the virus. Prince William admitting months later he'd also succumbed.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hunkered down at home during lockdown, sending positive messages via Zoom to the children of essential workers to brighten the dark times.
Her Majesty was also on online duty and proved to also be a polished performer on Zoom, before she returned to a more traditional platform for a special Covid-19 address which was watched by 24 million in Britain at the time.
“Together we are tackling this disease and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute we will overcome it,” she said.
However, it was Queen Elizabeth II’s great grandchildren that arguably delivered the family's cutest online performances with Prince George and Princess Charlotte spending time with none other than Sir David Attenborough.
There were glimpses of the Harry and Meghan's now one-year-old son Archie too as the young family settled into life in the US.
Business deals were also signed and sealed by the couple with Netflix, Spotify and Disney, including Meghan narrating a wildlife documentary.
However there was also some tragic news for the couple as they revealed just last month that Meghan had a miscarriage. She described it as “an almost unbearable grief experienced by many but talked about by few”.
Elsewhere, the July arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell turned up the heat on senior royals in Britain amid ongoing speculation of Prince Andrew's involvement with young women who he procured for his friend and sexual predator, the late Jeffrey Epstein.
But the Royal Christmas card shoot ultimately said it all this year with 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth still firmly in charge; the timeless matriarch keeping calm and carrying on.
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