2 January, 2025

Sean Coughlan Royal Correspondent Welcome to Royal Watch. Happy new year, wherever you are in the world. We’re stepping forward into 2025, putting up new calendars with all those empty pages, like snow that no one has walked in yet. ‌ It’s that time of year for making plans and resolutions. They’ll probably get ditched with the tinsel and Christmas trees, but for a few days we can pretend we’re going to keep them. And as the Royal Family’s health problems last year showed, life can come at you fast. But what do we think will be waiting in store for royal news this year? Don’t forget to send us your questions and suggestions at royalwatch@bbc.co.uk.

High hopes for better health More than anything, the Royal Family must be hoping for better health news, after a year in which King Charles and the Princess of Wales had to undergo cancer treatment. ‌ Catherine was out of public sight for much of last year, although she increasingly began to appear at events in recent months. It might not be a return to business as usual for her in 2025, but there will be hope that she’ll be able to do more.

Royal fans were pleased to see Catherine take part in a ceremonial welcome for Qatar’s Emir. Credit: Getty Her own health will be a priority, but she’s also pivotal to the wellbeing of the Royal Family. Opinion polls show how much her popularity reaches parts of the population, including younger age groups, that other royals don’t reach. ‌ The experience of her illness seems to have spurred a strong focus on kindness and empathy, with some very emotional public messages, so it will be interesting to see how that translates into her royal role in the year ahead. ‌ The King has had a tough year and has been very open about having to cope with cancer, with his treatment set to continue.

The King is expected to return to a ‘normal’ schedule of overseas visits this year. Credit: Getty But he is clearly itching to keep working and there are already claims that he has trips lined up. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but Italy and India have been mentioned as possible destinations for royal tours this year. Which countries do you think King Charles should visit in 2025? Send your thoughts to royalwatch@bbc.co.uk. What does King Charles do and how has cancer changed his duties?

Landmark events This year will see some important anniversaries which are likely to be in the royal diary. It’s 80 years since the end of the Second World War and events will mark the liberation of Auschwitz. ‌ King Charles has an ethos of public service and we can expect to see him out and about on visits, bringing a genuine curiosity about meeting people. He’ll hope to be a unifying force between different communities and religions, with his belief that diversity is a strength rather than a weakness.

In June 2024, the King met veteran Peter Newton on the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Credit: Getty Prince William will also want to show signs of impact from his flagship projects, such as tackling homelessness and the Earthshot environmental awards. Homelessness narrative must change, says William.

Royal Quiz Which of these really happened over the Christmas holidays? A. Prince William made all the royal guests at Sandringham wear party hats made of recycled seaweed. B. The dolls’ house on display in Windsor Castle had a miniature Christmas tree installed with its own tiny decorations. C. King Charles wore Christmas pyjamas made from recycled Buckingham Palace curtains. ‌ Read to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer.

Controversies hang over the new year Expect more stories about Prince Andrew and his finances. The controversy over his links to an alleged Chinese spy has reignited questions about his financial affairs. Will he remain in Royal Lodge in Windsor or will he move to more modest accommodation?

In 2024, a royal biography claimed the King had cut Prince Andrew off financially. Credit: Getty As the new year gets underway, one of the first big royal stories is likely to be Prince Harry’s court case against News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of the Sun, over claims of unlawful gathering of information about him for news stories, some dating back to the 1990s. ‌ The court case, scheduled to begin in mid-January, will be a big moment as Prince Harry goes head-to-head against the tabloid press.

Prince Harry has said his battle with the tabloid press is 'central' to the breakdown of his relationship with the Royal Family. Credit: Getty Meghan could have a higher profile this year working on her lifestyle brand and there’s meant to be another Netflix show in the pipeline. The California-based couple will be living in a country with Donald Trump as president - look out for any signs of tensions. Harry says life in US what Diana would have wanted for him.

Can the Royal Family remain relevant? There will be challenges for the royals too in 2025. Opinion polls show that the majority of the public still support a constitutional monarchy, but there are big underlying demographic divides.  ‌ Research consistently shows support for the monarchy is much weaker among younger people. Connecting to these younger generations is also a challenge, when the traditional route for royal stories has been newspapers and TV news, both of which struggle to reach younger audiences.

The King’s Christmas speech praised those building links between communities. Credit: Getty Polling also suggests some public unease over taxpayer funding of the royals and their financial arrangements. An Ipsos survey in November found that only 43% think the royals are good value for money. ‌ But we’re in the first days of the new year. And the triumphs and tragedies lying ahead are all still hidden. Enjoy a few more days of rest if you’re able to! State school pupils back monarchy more than those at private schools.

A piece of royal history As you enjoy the festive period, we thought you might like this photo of Queen Elizabeth II, on New Year’s Eve in 1999. ‌ There was a glitzy public event that night to mark the new millennium, with the Queen joining Prime Minister Tony Blair and other dignitaries in celebrations at the Millennium Dome. ‌ But before going along the River Thames to the dome in Greenwich, the Queen paid her own visit to a homeless shelter in Southwark, south London, run by the charity Crisis.

Shelter resident Mouse said the visit made his day. Credit: PA She spoke to a man called Mouse, who had been homeless for 25 years. He was pleased to meet her and said: “The Queen seemed to know my name and she knew I had broken my hip and said she hoped I got better”. Peter Davies, who had been helped by the charity, presented the Queen with a poem. Queen remembers the homeless.

Answer The answer is B. Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House in Windsor had a Christmas tree added,  with candles made from real wax and decorations from vintage necklaces. The dolls’ house, on public display, was made in the 1920s and was designed by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Read all about the exhibition here.