Unpacking the Royal Family’s Wild, Whirlwind Year

That’s not the truth Prince William chosen this year—which he has called the hardest in his life– you grow a beard.

While it was undeniably a strong move aesthetically, the 42-year-old get high marks (except for 9 year old daughter Princess Charlotte) for his new rough look, the beard is known to symbolize maturity, status and formidableness.

Everything the future king expected, whether he was ready or not.

While the Prince of Wales has sadness known— and royal family is not foreign scandaltragedy, schisms and other palace-rattling events-the last 12 months have been a greedy for descendants from Queen Elizabeth IIwho mostly hale 70 years on the throne set what quickly proved to be an inimitable precedent.

With both King Charles III76, and daughter-in-law Kate Middleton42, undergoing cancer treatment in 2024, never in recent memory has a literal health institution seemed to be in peril. (Even the most powerful kingdom on earth, 74 years old Princess Annethis was briefly treated for a head injury that the doctor considered consistent with the impact of the horse.)

“Trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track is really hard,” William told reporters during a visit to Cape Town, South Africa, to present the fourth annual Earthshot Prize in November. “I’m proud of my wife. , I’m proud of my father, for handling what they’ve done. But from a personal family perspective … it’s brutal.”