In a matter of days, King Charles will gather with his close family to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham where the British royals will, no doubt, reflect on the past 12 months as they look ahead to 2026.
It has been a year that has tested the King and his family loyalty, but also raised questions of the monarchy’s future.
To safeguard the institution, and protect it from unwarranted criticism, Charles and his senior royals have reset the monarchy through a number of swift and history-making moves – some more obvious than others.
The King and Queen, and Prince and Princess of Wale have worked to strengthen the monarchy throughout 2025 to ensure its future survival. (Getty)
Last week, the King welcomed 70 or so members of the Windsor clan to Buckingham Palace for the annual Christmas lunch.
The gathering was not just a festive feast, but a symbol of the royal family’s continuity – the event is still a mainstay on the calendar following the years Queen Elizabeth II hosted it during her 70 years on the throne.
The gathering was not just a festive feast but a symbol of the royal family’s continuity, the event still a mainstay on the calendar after it was started by Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Held every year, it is an opportunity for the extended family to come together ahead of December 25 as the royals’ Christmas at Sandringham House, in Norfolk, is a much smaller affair.
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The King and Queen, and Wales family, at Buckingham Palace celebrating the monarch’s official birthday, known as Trooping the Colour. (Getty)
It is also one of the few occasions through the year when the extended family come together as a whole before they separate for Christmas and the New Year holidays.
But there was a glaring absence at the palace for the second year in a row: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
King Charles finally solves the ‘Andrew problem’
The King’s Christmas lunch was held six weeks after the monarch stripped his younger brother of all royal titles, including that of prince and Duke of York, and forced him out of his 31-bedroom Windsor home, Royal Lodge.
King Charles took action against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after years of anger over his royal position. (Getty)
Public anger over the so-called ‘Andrew problem’ had been brewing for years due to a number of scandals concerning the royal: mainly his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his links to an alleged Chinese spy.
But the issue but came to a head with the publication of two books midway through 2025, including a posthumous memoir written by his accuser Virginia Giuffre. Andrew has always denied the claims made against him.
Andrew eventually fell on his sword on October 17 and announced, via Buckingham Palace, that he would stop using his titles, saying he had “always put my duty to my family and country first”.
The agreement, Andrew said, was made in consultation with the King. It is understood the King had placed enormous pressure on his brother to put his titles in abeyance, while the Prince of Wales was also rumoured to have made his feelings on the matter loud and clear.
Charles will now fund his brother’s lifestyle and new home on the private Sandringham estate. (Getty)
But it was not enough to quell the public outrage.
Two weeks later, on October 31, the King’s action was swift and unforgiving.
The monarch formally removed Andrew’s royal titles and announced his eviction from Royal Lodge, confirming he would be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from then on.
Significantly, the palace said the King and Queen Camilla wanted to make clear that their sympathies had always rested with the victims of abuse.
Three days earlier during a visit to a cathedral, the King had been heckled by a protester who shouted questions about Andrew and Epstein.
The process to remove Andrew’s royal titles, and boot him from the taxpayer-funded residence, had been in the works behind the scenes for some time but took a while to action, it is understood.
King Charles, keenly aware of the monumental, and potentially irreversible, damage his younger brother was doing to the monarchy’s reputation, knew the issue had to be dealt with now.
By doing so, the royal family was changed forever but the monarch was left with no choice.
Prince William is understood to have played a role in Andrew’s banishment. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Failure to do so would risk the institution’s future survival and the King wanted to ensure the problem was not left for his son, and heir, Prince William to deal with.
Prince William and Catherine, the royal family’s core
Prince William and Catherine have used their public appearances this year to project an image of family unity, bringing along Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to select events but with big impact.
The Wales family are a visual reminder of the monarchy’s future and this has been on show more than ever throughout 2025.
The Prince and Princess of Wales took on a greater public role in foreign affairs this year. (Getty)
Prince William and Catherine, and their children, have integral roles in the royal family’s line of succession and behind the scenes the Prince and Princess of Wales are major power players.
King Charles was said to have the full support of his son when it came to fixing the Andrew issue, while there were many reports of William’s influence in the matter.
The 43-year-old has emerged as a statesman in his own right this year, tasked with representing his father at global events including Cop30 global climate change summit in the Amazon during his first official visit to South America, in November.
A speech in Monaco, in June, was seen by many as William reinforcing himself as a global statesman, a king-in-waiting.
Prince William spoke about his future plans for the monarchy during a tour of Windsor Castle. (Kensington Royal/Apple TV+)
William was among world leaders who addressed the Blue Economy and Finance Forum, yet another example of when the prince played a significant role on the world stage.
Weeks earlier he had attended the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican alongside world leaders, while in December last year in Paris William became the first senior British representative to meet US President Donald Trump after his election victory.
And in October, William gave the first real indication of what he will be like as monarch by revealing his plans for the future in a television documentary.
Speaking to actor Eugene Levy in an episode of The Reluctant Traveller, William said he was not afraid of changing the monarchy to ensure it was “fit for purpose”.
“I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda,” Prince William said.
“Change for good. I embrace that and I enjoy that change – I don’t fear it. That’s the bit that excites me, is the idea of being able to bring some change.
“Not overly radical change, but changes that I think that need to happen.”
Pointedly, Prince William said of modernising the monarchy: “Are we still doing and having the most impact we could be having?’ I like to question things”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed US President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania, to Windsor in September. (Getty)
A YouGov poll from August had William as the most popular member of the royal family, a place that was occupied for decades by his late grandmother.
Prince William had narrowly knocked his wife from the top spot.
The pair had prominent roles during three state visits hosted by the King and the UK government this year, welcoming presidents from France, the US and Germany to Windsor.
Donald Trump called King Charles a “very, very special man” while Prince William, he said, was “going to have unbelievable success in the future”.
The Wales children make rare, but carefully selected, public appearances throughout the year. (Getty)
Turning to the princess during his speech inside Windsor Castle, Trump described Kate as looking “so radiant and so healthy…so beautiful”.
Their appearances at each only solidified William and Catherine’s importance to King and country, proving they are invaluable assets not only to the monarchy but on the world stage in global affairs.
Both fiercely protective of their children’s privacy – and raising them as ‘normally’ as possible within the privilege and confines of royal life – William and Catherine are carefully selective when including George, Charlotte and Louis at public events.
The children were seen at VE Day celebrations in May, Trooping the Colour in June and George and Charlotte joined their parents for the Wimbledon final in July.
The children were included in the VE Day celebrations at Buckingham Palace in May. (GC Images)
All three were at the princess’ carols service inside Westminster Abbey in early December and they are expected to join the King and Queen for the walk to and from church on Christmas morning at Sandringham later this week.
Prince George’s place as future king was on show when he took part in his most significant official royal engagement to date, attending a morning tea with inside Buckingham Palace for veterans and their families during VE Day celebrations alongside his parents.
This approach to official duty, where the children are present at only the most important of public occasions, is a path their mother has taken following her cancer diagnosis, and treatment, last year.
Catherine’s quiet power increases
The princess has, for many years now, been an integral figure in the royal family but her presence and influence has only increased over the last 12 months.
Catherine’s presence and influence has only increased over the last 12 months. (Getty)
One year ago in March, Catherine shocked the world with her cancer diagnosis but thankfully 19 months on, the Princess of Wales is back where she should be: at the heart of the royal family, her star now shining brighter than ever.
Following her diagnosis, and course of preventative chemotherapy, the princess entered a new era in her life, one where traditional royal roles were shattered to make way for a more relaxed, more relatable and more focused Catherine.
Her diary was consistently busy and engagements focused on her greatest passion: childhood development.
It should come as no surprise that the princess has chosen the core of her royal work to centre on the youngest members of society, working with experts to make the first five years of a child’s life the best they can be.
The Princess of Wales has had a near-full diary of engagements throughout the year. (Getty)
Catherine’s early years work will help future generations and have a lasting impact, solidifying her own legacy within the royal family in years to come.
Away from the public eye, the princess took charge of the family’s move into their forever home, Forest Lodge, in Windsor.
Royal HQ shifts to Windsor
William and Catherine, and their children, are now settled at the property after spending a challenging few years at the smaller Adelaide Cottage nearby.
The home, it is said, will be the Wales’ permanent base even when William becomes King, with Windsor, and its castle, the new ‘royal HQ’, shifting from Buckingham Palace in London.
Three state banquets have been held at Windsor Castle, which has become the new ‘Royal HQ’ instead of London. (Getty)
The monarchy’s operations have been gradually moving from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle, a process which began in the final years of Queen Elizabeth II’s life when she left London during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
King Charles and Prince William, and other senior royals, no longer live in the capital.
The King is not expected to move into Buckingham Palace in 2027 when its $700 million renovation is complete.
Although the monarch’s private office continues to be based at the palace, he and Queen Camilla stay at Clarence House when they are in London.
Prince William and Kate retain their lavish apartment inside Kensington Palace when needed but they are not likely to move back to London.
And in another example of royal operations relocating from London to Windsor, the Royal Mews will leave Buckingham Palace after 200 years.
The Royal Mews – responsible for all road travel arrangements for the royals including horse-and-carriages to cars – makes more sense to be based where the royals themselves are housed.
The decision, revealed in early December, was made mainly due to logistical reasons because senior members of the royal family no longer live in London.
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