Like my Top Books of 2022 post, I wanted to do something a little bit different for my royal post. I have obviously written countless posts related to the royals this year. In addition to my monthly Musings on Monarchy posts where I share my thoughts on current royal news, I’ve got history, book, and travel posts related to the royals. Instead of trying to narrow down the 100+ posts, I decided to choose my top 5 royal moments of 2022! It was difficult to do, but these are the stand-outs for me.
5. Princess Ingrid-Alexandra’s 18th Birthday Gala- 17 June 2022
Unsurprisingly, this was a fairly heavy year, royal-wise. However, one of the royal moments that stood out for me in 2022 was a particularly happy one. In June, the Norwegian Royal Family held celebrations to mark Princess Ingrid-Alexandra’s 18th birthday. Ingrid-Alexandra is second in line to the throne, and will be one of several female monarchs in a generation (or two, depending on timing). Her birthday was in January, and she attended the Council of State with her grandfather (King Harald V) and her father (Crown Prince Haakon) for the first time. The heir can attend the meeting without voice or vote, so she was only there to observe. However, the party came in June!
On 17 June, her grandparents and parents held a gala for The Princess to celebrate her milestone birthday. It was an impressive royal event, with royals from around Europe joining in the festivities. And not only was it Ingrid-Alexandra’s first tiara event, it was also a first-time tiara evening for Princess Elisabeth of Belgium and Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands. The phot above is certainly historic, and shows the future (back row, left to right) Queen Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, Queen Estelle of Sweden, Queen Ingrid-Alexandra of Norway, and Hereditary Grand Duke Charles of Luxembourg. While Estelle did not have a tiara moment, I think she absolutely held her own, as well!
4. Queen Margrethe II’s Golden Jubilee- 2022 (14 January)
While the Platinum Jubilee certainly held court over most royal-watchers for much of the year, another milestone Jubilee happened. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark celebrated her Golden Jubilee year, beginning on 14 January. The celebrations originally planned for the winter were postponed until the autumn due to Covid (and partially due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, if I am correct). With the passing of her close friend and fellow monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, Margrethe modified her Jubilee events to be smaller in scale. I did read reports from Denmark that some people were upset that they were downsized for a foreign death. However, Daisy (as her friends called her) and Elizabeth had had a very close relationship and it ultimately was her decision. Although the events were smaller than originally planned, it still was a momentous year for the Danish Queen.
3. Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee- 2-4 June
What would this list be without the Platinum Jubilee? (And what does it say that it is only number three…) The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee had been planned for years, with an extra bank holiday and several public events planned. Unfortunately, the Canadian federal government almost entirely ignored the Platinum Jubilee but I still loved watching the Platinum Jubilee events from the UK. Each of QEII’s Jubilees was a major celebrations but this absolutely felt like a true send-off without knowing what was to come.
For me personally, the Trooping of the Colour and the Service of Thanksgiving were the two major events that I looked forward to and they did not disappoint. As an historian of monarchy, I am incredibly interested in the ceremony and traditions surrounding monarchy and this is where you get to see it. Although it must have been massively difficult for her, I was so happy that Her Majesty was able to appear on the balcony at Buck House after Trooping with her cousin, The Duke of Kent. Also surprisingly, I loved seeing Her Majesty take part in the beacon lighting ceremony at Windsor Castle.
2. King Charles III’s Accession Council
This may seem like an odd inclusion, but this was absolutely one of my top moments of the year. The Accession Council is a body that only gathers upon the death of a monarch to formally proclaim the new sovereign’s regnal name; it is also where the new monarch signs the proclamation documents. What is particularly important about King Charles III’s Accession Council is that it is the first televised Council. Or should I say, the first that the public has ever been able to witness in any way, shape, or form. If you are at all interested in ceremony and tradition, this is one of the most important events for you.
While it was fascinating to watch the new King takes his oaths and sign the documents, it is also very worthwhile to take a look at just who is included in the Council. The number of former Prime Ministers, Cabinet ministers, and notable politicians who were actually there is fascinating.
1. Queen Elizabeth II’s Passing
I cannot say that I was surprised by The Queen’s passing. She was 96 and the palace had repeatedly said that mobility issues were limiting her, which many of us assumed may have been related to illnesses. However, the chain of events that took place after her death was truly a historic moment.
The fact that The Queen passed away in Scotland meant that a specific chain of events would be have to happen in Scotland first, before Her Majesty would return a final time to England. Her Scottish Lying-in-State took place in St. Giles’ Cathedral, one of the most fascinating historic sites on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. The Vigil of the Princes where her four children stood watch over her was held in St. Giles, which was not originally expected.
The Vigil of the Princes in Westminster Hall in London was one of the most solemn and historic moments for me personally. Not only did The Queen’s four children once again stand vigil- Princess Anne being the first female royal to do so- her eight grandchildren also completed a vigil. (See the image above) I cannot imagine the immense difficulty of grieving your beloved grandmother knowing that not only are the people filing past watching, but the whole world is watching. In particular, I found it very difficult to watch Queen Margrethe paying her respects to Elizabeth ahead of the funeral. To have to say goodbye to your dear friend and also know that you will have a similar event when you pass must be eerie.
The funeral itself, the procession, and the final service at Windsor was heartbreaking but also perfectly planned for Britain’s longest reigning monarch. I think that Charles and Camilla, as well as the rest of the British Royal Family, were incredibly composed throughout.
What are your top 5 royal moments of 2022? What would you include?
Cheers,
The Historian
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