The Biggest Royal Moments of 2019

On January 17, Prince Philip's Land Rover collided with another car near Sandringham. Fortunately, the then-97-year-old royal was unharmed, and the driver and passenger of the other car sustained minor injuries. A nine-month-old baby was in the backseat of the other car and was also fortunately uninjured. While the story certainly made headlines—and prompted debate about whether nonagenarians should be allowed to drive—the retired royal did not face charges in connection with the accident. That said, he did voluntarily surrender his license, and is now only allowed to drive on private roads.

Charles and Camilla went on several royal tours this year to locations ranging from Ireland to New Zealand, but perhaps their most noteworthy trip was to Cuba during a tour of the Caribbean. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were the very first members of the British royal family to ever make an official visit to the country.

On March 14, amid rumors of a rift between Prince Charles's two sons, Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace announced that Prince William and Prince Harry were officially separating their royal households. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's offices then moved to Buckingham Palace, while the Cambridges' team stayed in Kensington Palace. "This long-planned move will ensure that permanent support arrangements for the Duke and Duchess’s work are in place as they start their family and move to their official residence at Frogmore Cottage," a spokesperson said in a statement at the time.

A few weeks after the Sussexes established a separate household, they also launched their own Instagram account, @SussexRoyal."Welcome to our official Instagram," the caption reads. "We look forward to sharing the work that drives us, the causes we support, important announcements, and the opportunity to shine a light on key issues. We thank you for your support, and welcome you to @sussexroyal." They signed the message simply "Harry & Meghan."

On Will and Kate's eighth wedding anniversary, Queen Elizabeth gave her granddaughter-in-law a rare honor. The British monarch made Kate a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, an appointment which, according to the royal family's website, is "the personal gift of the Sovereign" and "awarded to those who have served The Queen or the monarchy in a particular way." At formal events, like the annual diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace (pictured here), Kate will now wear a blue sash and a silver star-shaped pin to indicate the honor.

In April, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved out of their home at Kensington Palace and into Frogmore Cottage, just a few weeks before baby Archie arrived. The new house, which is situated on the Frogmore Estate in Home Park in Windsor, was given a major renovation before the royals moved in, a project which cost $3.05 million in public funds.

On May 6, Meghan gave birth to a healthy baby boy. "Their royal highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to announce the birth of their child," reads an official announcement, which was posted on the Sussexes' Instagram account. His name, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was announced a few days later. Archie does not currently have a royal title, but that could change once Prince Charles becomes King.

After two major royal weddings in 2018, another member of the Queen's family tied the knot at Windsor Castle in 2019. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent's daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor married Thomas Kingston in May with several senior members of the royal family in attendance, including the Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Anne, Prince Harry, and Princess Beatrice.

In June, President Trump arrived in the U.K. for a three-day state visit, the goal of which was to "reaffirm the steadfast and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom."

Trump was met by protestors in the country, but he also had a packed itinerary of events with the royals including tea with Prince Charles at Clarence House, a tour of Westminster Abbey with Prince Andrew, and a lavish state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

In March, the British newspaper The Sun claimed that Kate had a new "rival," Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, a friend who lives with her husband in a grand estate near Will and Kate's home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall. (The area was once known for its turnip crops.) But the Daily Mail was quick to debunk the speculation, with royal reporter Richard Kay even reporting that both women "have considered legal action but, because none of the reports have been able to offer any evidence about what the so-called dispute is about, they have chosen to ignore it." Whether or not the two women were on good terms, they were both in attendance at Trump's State banquet at Buckingham Palace. (That's Rose above in white.)

Will and Kate's youngest turned 1 this year, and was seen waving his arms wildly during the annual Trooping the Colour parade to celebrate the Queen's birthday.

In her first public appearance following the arrival of her son Archie, the Duchess of Sussex debuted a newly redesigned engagement ring, with a noticeably different, thin micro-pavé band. It was later reported that the new band was a gift from Prince Harry, as was Meghan's new eternity band, in honor of both the royal couple's one-year anniversary, and the birth of their first child.

At 98, every birthday is considered a major moment. While Prince Philip is retired from royal duties, and has been for several years now, he was seen at a few public events in 2019, including Gabriella Windsor's wedding in May, just a few weeks before he celebrated the milestone.

Baby Archie's christening was a private affair in Windsor. And while Harry and Meghan did release a few photos to the public in honor of the religious milestone, they kept the names of his godparents to themselves, prompting a complicated debate about royal privacy.

British royalty met the American kind on the orange carpet at the European premiere of the Lion King this summer. "The baby, so beautiful," Beyoncé said about Harry and Meghan's newborn Archie during the meeting. "We love you guys." Jay Z also reportedly offered the Sussexes a parenting tip: "The best advice I can give you, always find time for yourself," he said.

Over the past year and a half, Meghan has brought a new perspective to the royal family's longstanding tradition of supporting charities through patronage. Last year, she raised funds for the Hubb Community Kitchen by launching a cookbook; this year, she combined two of her passions—fashion and empowering women—and launched a limited-edition line called the Smart Set. For every item purchased from the capsule collection, one was donated to her patronage, Smart Works, which prepares underprivileged women for the job market.

William, Kate, and Prince George accompanied Charlotte on her first day at Thomas's Battersea in September, and while she was a bit timid in front of the camera, Prince William said she is "very excited" to start the new school year.

In September, the Sussexes embarked on an ambitious tour of southern Africa. Harry and Meghan brought their baby, Archie, along for the ride as they championed causes ranging from women's empowerment to the elimination of landmines, and met with civil rights icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu. "I think Archie will look back at that in so many years and understand that right at the beginning of his life he was fortunate enough to have this moment with one of the best and most impactful leaders of out times," Meghan said of the meeting, which is pictured here. "It’s really special."

Despite the noteworthy moments early on in the tour, the Sussexes' visit to South Africa will likely be remembered for the news that came on the final day of Meghan and Harry's trip. The Sussexes shared that Meghan is suing the Mail on Sunday, an announcement which was coupled with a searing open letter by Prince Harry about the press, in which he said: "I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been." Read it in full here.

It was revealed later that Prince Harry is also pursuing legal action against the owners of the Sun and the Mirror over alleged illegal phone hacking.

The royal family announced the news that Princess Beatrice was engaged to her boyfriend Edoardo "Edo" Mapelli Mozzi in September."We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement," the happy couple said in a statement. "We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can't wait to be married. We share so many similar interests and values and we know this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness." The wedding is expected to take place sometime in 2020.