The royal family in 2016: Heartbreak for Princess Beatrice, a devastating loss for Zara and Mike and lavish travels for William and Kate
A lot was going on!
Rewind 10 years and things weren’t all plain sailing for the royal family. 2016 was a whirlwind of a year for The Firm.
From loss and heartbreak to celebrations and travel, the royal family had a lot going on. Let’s dive in…
The royal family in 2016
In 2016, a ton of royal faces were still on the roster. No one had heard of Megxit and Harry and Meghan’s relationship was just blooming.
Then-prince Andrew was still fairly under the radar and a scandal for the now-disgraced former Duke of York was far away.
Queen Elizabeth was celebrating her 90th birthday and the royals even welcomed Barack Obama to Kensington Palace. It was quite a year!
The same year that the royals raised a toast to Queen Elizabeth’s nonagenarian milestone with an extra lavish Trooping the Colour, there was a fair share of heartache going on within the ranks.
Princess Beatrice’s heartbreak
Princess Beatrice split from her boyfriend of ten years, Dave Clark, with rumours bubbling that it was because Dave had failed to propose.
A source told The Mail on Sunday at the time: “After ten years together, Beatrice and Dave had to wonder why they were not married. They talked it through and decided to take time apart to reflect on the future. They remain friends and the decision to break up was mutual.”
Zara and Mike Tindall were also navigating difficult emotions. In December 2016 the couple shared that they had lost a baby, who would have been due in late spring 2017.
Zara and Mike Tindall’s heartbreaking baby loss
A spokeswoman for the couple revealed their tragic loss in a heartfelt statement.
They said: “Very sadly, Zara and Mike Tindall have lost their baby. At this difficult time, we ask that everyone respects their privacy.”
Their daughter, Mia, who turned twelve this year, was just 3 at the time.
Zara had been four months into her pregnancy when she tragically had a miscarriage.
Discussing the “raw” impact of the miscarriage, Zara later said of their loss: “For me the worst thing was that we had to tell everyone – everyone we knew.”
“It was a time when my family came to the fore and I needed them,” she said. “I had to go through having the baby because it was so far along.”
Since their devastating loss, the royal couple have welcomed two children, Lena Elizabeth (born 2018), and son Lucas Philip (born 2021).
Sadly, Zara has since shared that she endured a second miscarriage in 2018, before welcoming Lena.
The Prince and Princess of Wales’s 2016
The Prince and Princess of Wales were navigating life with a young family in 2016. At the time, Prince George was just two and a half, whilst Princess Charlotte was only ten months old.
The couple surprised royal observers in March of 2016 by sharing a string of personal photos from a family ski trip to the French Alps
This tradition has not sustained and The Wales’s opt for peaceful holidays without photo calls these days.
Queen Elizabeth II’s milestone
That year, Queen Elizabeth II turned 90 on April 21, 2016. And unsurprisingly, such a milestone brought great celebrations.
The typical Trooping the Colour festivities were held and were mirrored by the public across the country with picnics and street parties.
The royals celebrated with the “The Patron’s Lunch” on The Mall and thousands of well-wishers gathered in celebration.
Queen Elizabeth arrived for the celebration in an open-top car alongside Prince Philip, in a move that delighted onlookers.
Then-US President Barack Obama visits Kensington Palace
Another notable moment in 2016 was when US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were guests of the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace in April.
Prince George was snapped also welcoming the couple, in his dressing gown and pyjamas.
He looked very impressed with a rocking horse given to him by the couple.
The Prince and Princess of Wales weren’t just inviting guests to their royal residence, they were also jetting off.
William and Kate’s travels
One of their joint overseas trips that year was to India and Bhutan, followed by Canada, France and Scotland.
Prince Harry was also out and about a bunch.
He carried out 152 in 2016 with almost half of them taking place overseas.
Harry also did a lot of work with William and Kate.
Harry’s ‘closeness’ with the royals
The trio shared a social media account and royal office – which operated out of Kensington Palace.
In April they even launched their own campaign together. Named Heads Together, the campaign aimed to “change the national conversation on mental wellbeing.”
Prince Harry and then-Prince Charles attended an event together
2016 also put Prince Harry’s then seemingly strong bond with his father King Charles on display. The father-son duo were photographed for an event commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme in July, where Harry thoughtfully held Charles’s umbrella.
Behind the scenes, Harry had fallen for Californian actress Meghan Markle, then best known for her role as Rachel Zane in Suits.
Harry met Meghan Markle
Harry later recalled upon their first meeting, a blind date set up by their friends, that he thought she was “heart-attack beautiful.”
2016 saw their romance flourish before it was eventually confirmed to the public.
The couple, who are now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, also had their last hurrah whilst incognito at a Halloween party, just before their relationship was confirmed by the press, in November of 2016.
Prince Philip turned 95
Meanwhile, Prince Philip also reached a huge milestone. He celebrated his 95th birthday and continued to be Queen Elizabeth’s “strength and stay,” carrying out engagements and duties by her side.
What a year!
Read more: Prince William ‘sickened’ over Harry and Meghan’s Princess Diana ‘documentary plans’
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