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By CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster, Kathy Rose O'Brien and Billy Stockwell in London

As the end of the year fast approaches, we thought you might enjoy a photo recap of the royal highs and lows of 2024. 

It was a challenging year for the royal family, with some serious health revelations from King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales.

But there were also more positive moments as the months ticked on. There were visits to Nigeria and Colombia by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and increased visibility for several members of the clan, such as Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. 

As questions swirled over how much the public is entitled to know about the royal family, the relative transparency from the monarch and his daughter-in-law put a spotlight on the cancer struggles faced by so many. 

The King became patron of Cancer Research UK, visiting cancer patients as he resumed his public-facing duties at the end of April. Kate’s annual Christmas carol concert highlighted the themes of love and empathy in the “darkest times.” 

Summer provided some much-needed levity when Taylor Swift chose to go Instagram-official with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in a selfie with Prince William during her Eras tour. Meanwhile, Kate’s surprise appearance at the Wimbledon men’s singles tennis final had the center court crowd on their feet. 

Here’s a look at some of 2024's key moments:  

Kin Cheung/AP

In April, Charles looked cheerful as he returned to public duties with his first engagement since revealing his cancer diagnosis back in early February. The monarch took the opportunity to visit a cancer treatment center in London, run by UK charity Macmillan Cancer Support, of which he has been patron for nearly three decades. 

From Taylor Swift/Instagram

In June, William celebrated his 42nd birthday in style at Taylor Swift’s Eras tour at London’s Wembley Stadium. He was spotted dancing in the crowd and even posed for a photo backstage with the singer, accompanied by two of his children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. “Happy Bday M8!” Swift later posted on her official X account. 

Raul Arboleda/AFP/Getty Images

In August, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took their third international trip of the year, heading to the Colombian capital of Bogotá, following earlier appearances in Canada and Nigeria. It might have looked like a typical royal visit, but as the couple are no longer working royals, the four-day South American trip was done in a private capacity. They used the event to raise awareness about online harms ahead of the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children.

Head here to check out more from the past 12 months! 

King Charles honors officers killed in the line of duty.

The monarch helped express Britain’s gratitude to former firefighters, police officers and other emergency service personnel who have died on duty. At Windsor Castle on Tuesday, he presented their next of kin with the first Elizabeth Emblems, a new tribute for fallen public servants, which the government announced back in April. The new emblems are the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which acknowledges UK Armed Forces members who die in the service of their country. The emblem’s design incorporates the traditional symbol of remembrance - a rosemary wreath - which surrounds the Tudor Crown. The King spent roughly an hour with the 38 families remembering their loved ones. One family member told PA: “We can’t change what’s happened, but I think if we can remember them and honour them in this way, that’s a quite efficient tribute.” 

Aaron Chown/WPA Pool/Getty Images

William reveals big Christmas plans.

Prince William had a lot of festive fun when he visited the families and members of the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment in Wiltshire in southwest England on Tuesday. The prince, who is colonel-in-chief of the regiment, was welcomed by its mascot – a Swaledale ram called Private Derby – before heading indoors to chat and give out early Christmas presents to the children. William was presented with handmade cards from some of the children. He was also treated to a special performance by a Fijian choir of regiment soldiers. While at the seasonal engagement, William shared that he would be celebrating Christmas with a whopping 45 members of his extended family this year. Speaking to PA Media afterward, Leah St Clair-Lewis, from the UK’s national volunteer charity WRVS, said, “We spoke about what he was up to for Christmas and enjoying walks with his dogs at Sandringham.” She added that William disclosed that “there will (be) 45 of them under one roof for Christmas,” before adding that “he didn’t say whether that was just for one day or over the Christmas period. They must need a very long table.”

Richard Pohle/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

King Charles was in jovial form on a visit to London’s redeveloped Battersea Power Station on Thursday, and that was even before he met multi-award-winning British singer Raye, who joined the King on stage, to the delight of the crowd.  The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter’s performance of Christmas songs showcased a voice that won her six Brit awards this year, but she was still starstruck to meet Charles, admitting to everyone gathered that this is “very scary, very fancy, very amazing.” 
 
Earlier, the King met small-business owners at a Christmas market set up by King’s Trust alumna Megan Jones, who founded Curated Makers, an initiative that connects small businesses with retail spaces, after she took part in the King’s Trust’s enterprise program. Charles was then welcomed to Apple’s new UK head office by CEO Tim Cook and hundreds of employees. 

                                                                                                          Paul Grover/WPA Pool/Getty Images

The monarch met young people recently supported by a partnership between Apple and the King’s Trust. As some shared the new skills and technology they had mastered, the King told them they were “going to go from strength to strength.” 
 
Charles clearly enjoyed chatting with England rugby players Jess Breach and Lou Meadows. He also met actress Cush Jumbo, who is both star and executive producer of Apple TV show “Criminal Record,” artist Yinka llori and disability activist and influencer Lucy Edwards. As the King unveiled a plaque to commemorate his visit, Cook praised the monarch for “his lifelong commitment to philanthropy and the betterment of humanity.” 

                                                                                                             Aaron Chown/Pool/Getty Images

Prince William greets US President-elect Donald Trump as the pair attend the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Saturday. Trump gave the Prince of Wales a pat on the shoulder before the two shook hands and spoke briefly. Kensington Palace told CNN the pair would meet following the ceremony. Around 50 heads of state and government were expected to descend on the French capital to mark the reopening of the Gothic landmark following its five-year restoration project. 

William and Trump eventually met at the UK ambassador’s residence in Paris. “Nice grip,” the president-elect remarked after shaking hands with the Prince of Wales, before calling him a “good man.” Trump added that William was “doing a fantastic job.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Christmas card revealed.

Buckingham Palace has revealed the King and Queen’s official 2024 Christmas card. On Saturday, the palace released the chosen image, which was taken earlier this year by Millie Pilkington, a portrait photographer who has taken numerous snaps of the family over the years. The portrait of Charles and Camilla was taken in the garden at Buckingham Palace in April. Check out more on this story here.

"You have demonstrated to our entire country the power of resilience, solidarity and kindness in the face of adversity."

– Queen Camilla

The 77-year-old Queen this week marked the reopening of a library torched during riots in August. Spellow Community Hub and Library in Walton in Liverpool was set ablaze when disorder broke out in the wake of the fatal stabbings in nearby Southport. Camilla, who donated a box of books, was unable to attend in person but she sent a letter expressing her admiration for the community for pulling together. 

As we head into the holiday period, Royal News will be taking a short break. We’ll be back in your inboxes on December 27. To our readers who celebrate, we wish you a very Happy Christmas.

– Max, Lauren and the Royal News team