In a shocking allegation that emerged in early January 2023, Prince Harry accused his brother, Prince William, of physical assault during an argument over the treatment of Meghan Markle, according to The Guardian, which obtained a prerelease copy of Harry's forthcoming memoir 'Spare.'
In more leaks from the soon-to-be-released memoir, Prince Harry recounted drug-taking, losing his virginity to an older woman, and killing insurgents while serving for the British Army in Afghanistan.
On January 10, the highly anticipated memoir 'Spare' was officially released. The public finally had the chance to read all about Harry's life, his struggles, and his journey towards finding purpose and duty in the royal family.
In their first public appearance since Harry's memoir hit the bookshelves, the Prince and Princess of Wales traveled north on January 12 to visit a hospital on Merseyside in Liverpool. They were all smiles and waving hands.
Buckingham Palace announced on March 10 that the title Duke of Edinburgh had been conferred by the king on Prince Edward.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, walked back into the headlines on March 30, arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in London as one of several claimants in a lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail.
King Charles III arrived in Germany on March 29 for his first overseas visit as monarch. He's seen with Camilla, Queen Consort, being welcomed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
In April, King Charles III's personal wealth was revealed to be £600 million (US$753 million), making him wealthier than the late Queen, according to analysis for The Sunday Times Rich List.
The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, took place on May 6.
King Charles III stands after being crowned during his coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the coronation.
The newly-crowned monarch and Queen Camilla travel in the Gold State Coach from Westminster Abbey on route to Buckingham Palace after the coronation.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, pictured during the coronation ceremony. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, alone and seen glancing over at his brother's family, was seated in the third row.
In an echo of the deadly car chase in Paris in 1997, which ended in a crash that killed Diana, Princess of Wales, Harry, Meghan, and her mother Doria Ragland claim they narrowly avoided a "catastrophic" collision while being pursued by paparazzi after leaving a charity event in New York on May 16 (pictured).
On June 26, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, revealed she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer following a routine mammogram. She later underwent a a successful single mastectomy.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the State Opening of Parliament at the Houses of Parliament on November 7. The speech, delivered by the monarch but written by the government, set out the government's priorities for the coming year.
King Charles took to the saddle on June 17 for Trooping the Colour in London. The ceremony is a traditional parade held to mark the British sovereign's official birthday. It was the first Trooping the Colour held for the king since he ascended to the throne.
Later the same day, the King and Queen were joined on the balcony at Buckingham Palace by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, George, Louis, and Charlotte, to watch a flypast of aircraft by the Royal Air Force.
On July 6, a kilted King Charles III greeted well-wishers during a tour of the market square in Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders, as part of the first Holyrood Week since his coronation.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh represented the royal family at the National Health Service's 75th anniversary celebrations on July 5 at Westminster Abbey. The duchess is pictured chatting with NHS nurse May Parsons.
King Charles hosted Joe Biden at Windsor Castle on July 10. The US president was visiting the UK to further strengthen the close relationship between the two nations and to discuss climate issues with the monarch.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, seen here leaving Westminster Abbey following the coronation ceremony, was granted permission in October to stay at the Royal Lodge "indefinitely." Andrew has lived at the country house since 2004, sometimes with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, but his tenure was thrown into doubt after an attempt by the King to scale down costs of the monarchy. Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal and military honors by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, following his alleged involvement with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He was also barred from using the His Royal Highness moniker and lost his patronages in 2022.
The King and Queen visited Wales on July 20. Here the royal couple meet local school children at Brecon Cathedral during an event to mark the centenary year of the cathedral and to meet representatives and organizers of the Brecon Choir Festival.
After being postponed due to mass strikes and protests, a royal visit to France went ahead in September. Charles and Camilla were met by President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Élysée Palace on September 21. The King and Queen's first state visit to France took place in Paris, Versailles, and Bordeaux.
On November 22, the King presented members of the K-pop girl group Blackpink with Honorary MBEs—Member of the Order of the British Empire—during a special investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
'Endgame,' the explosive book from Omid Scobie, author of the international blockbuster 'Finding Freedom,' was released on November 28.
On December 1, the Dutch translation of 'Endgame' was published. The book identified King Charles and the Princess of Wales as the two senior royals who allegedly raised "concerns" about the skin color of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son. The 'translation error' meant the Dutch versions were dramatically pulled from shelves and pulped at the eleventh hour.
Four days later, on December 5 ahead of a diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace, the King and Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales posed for a photograph that quickly became known as the 'show of unity' picture.
On December 9, the Prince and Princess of Wales released their annual Christmas card. The classic monochrome-style image taken by photographer Josh Shinner shows the couple posing with their three children.
Sources: (The Guardian) (People) (The Sunday Times) (The Independent) (Town & Country) (New York Daily Post) (Evening Standard) (BBC)
See also: Royal Christmas cards through the years
It was a year that saw a new king and queen crowned. But 2023 also witnessed the release of a damaging memoir and the reigniting of the royal race row. And the revelation that a member of the royal family had been diagnosed with cancer further dampened spirits and lowered the mood. But there was also much to cheer about, with royal visits both home and abroad delighting the public, and much more. So, how did the British royal family fare in 2023?
Click through and relive some royal highs and lows.
How the British royal family lived through 2023
The past 12 months examined
CELEBRITY Royals
It was a year that saw a new king and queen crowned. But 2023 also witnessed the release of a damaging memoir and the reigniting of the royal race row. And the revelation that a member of the royal family had been diagnosed with cancer further dampened spirits and lowered the mood. But there was also much to cheer about, with royal visits both home and abroad delighting the public, and much more. So, how did the British royal family fare in 2023?
Click through and relive some royal highs and lows.