There were a lot of sicknesses, squabbles and scandals for the royals in 2024 – much of which came as a shock after we looked into what had been predicted for their year. As we enter 2025, we have a lot to unpack that will contribute to how this year will play out for the British royal family.
Read on to find out what may be in store.
The Prince and Princess of Wales
After a year Prince William describes as “brutal”, in 2025 the Princess of Wales’ health and wellbeing will be the main focus as the couple try to get back to some kind of normalcy after her very public cancer diagnosis.
But Kate, 42, isn’t the same person she was before. Her health crisis had far-reaching effects on how she views the world, according to those close to her. One told biographer Robert Hardman that the princess has become “more interested in her faith”, and may want to explore religion and spirituality further. When she did announce in September that she’d finished chemotherapy, Kate said cancer had given her “a new perspective on everything”.
And according to one source, it may have changed her views on forgiveness. Especially when it comes to her brother-in-law Prince Harry. A royal insider says facing cancer has prompted Kate to try help William, 42, and Harry, 40, mend their rift. That will be something she hopes to be able to achieve this year.
“Kate’s desperate for them to make up. She feels the feud has gone on for far too long,” says the source. “She’s doing whatever she can to not only make William see that, but also to persuade him to open up the lines of communication with his brother and try to heal the wounds.”
After a year when the vulnerability of family members has hit home, William may be more receptive to trying to fix things with his only sibling.
While Kate is working behind the scenes to restore family harmony, she’ll continue to ease back into official duties. Although she’ll be careful not to spread herself too thin, says biographer Robert Jobson. “She won’t be travelling all over the country like she used to, but focusing instead on doing only more impactful events,” he says.
Some overseas tours can be expected. William told journalists late last year that hopefully Kate would be up to doing more, so “we’ll have some more trips maybe lined up”.
One could be to Oman. At an engagement with the heir to the Omani throne, when William was asked if he and Kate might visit the nation, he said, “We’re in the planning process.”
Meanwhile, the couple could be spending some time in the United States. The trip follows the revelation that they’re planning to launch their Royal Foundation charity there. They’ve applied for a US trademark for the foundation, saying that it will be providing “healthcare services relating to mental health”.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
Prince Harry burned his bridges with many of his family back in 2023 with the publication of his memoir Spare. However, 2025 could well be the year he patches things up.
The King’s cancer diagnosis was a shocking reminder that his father isn’t going to be around forever and Harry shouldn’t put off any attempts at a family reconciliation.
One sticking point is Harry’s relationship with his brother William, which is also at an all-time low. Royal biographer Robert Hardman says it would be very difficult for the King to bury the hatchet with Harry if William wasn’t also involved. “The King can’t have any sort of bilateral deal with Harry by leaving William out of the conversation because one day William will be king.”
If Harry and William are able to reach a truce – possibly brokered by Kate – that would open the door to improved relations with the rest of the family and perhaps give Harry the chance to do more work on behalf of the monarchy, which is something he appears to have missed.
Last year, Harry and Meghan, 43, began focusing more on individual projects rather than joint appearances, with Harry carrying out statesman-like visits to places like Lesotho. We’re likely to see more of him promoting causes that are important to him, like online safety, while Meghan is immersed in two big projects.
Her cooking show is set to screen on Netflix early this year and she’ll also be launching her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, around the same time as that.
The King and Queen
After last year was upended by his cancer diagnosis and having to take time off work, King Charles is keen to make up for lost time in 2025, says a palace source. “There’s a lot he wants to achieve, so he’ll prioritise work as much as possible if his health is up to it.”
More overseas visits are now on the cards, with a palace official saying after his tour to Australia and Samoa in October, “We’re now working on a pretty normal-looking, full overseas tour programme for next year, subject to sign-off by doctors.”
One possibility is a visit to Rome in March or April. There are rumours they may also go to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, there has been a change of work environment for Charles at home. Due to refurbishments at Buckingham Palace, he has moved from his usual office in the north wing to the Belgian suite in the west-facing garden wing. One of the new offices is the Orleans Room, where he was born on November 14, 1948.
It’s there he’ll have meetings with staff to discuss issues like the current controversy over the massive incomes he and William receive from their private estates, the Duchy of Lancaster ($58.9 million for the King) and the Duchy of Cornwall ($49.4 million for William). A documentary pointed out that money the pair earn from the land and properties that are part of the duchies includes income from tenants, such as the National Health Service, the military and charities. A public backlash means the pair may have to decide whether to reduce or even eliminate some rents.
As well as keeping a close eye on His Majesty as he goes about his business in 2025, royal doctors may also be carefully watching the Queen, 77, after a chest infection she developed at the end of October became hard to shake and meant she ended up missing several engagements.
Camilla’s focus this year will continue to be on her favourite causes. These include promoting literacy and trying to reduce domestic violence.
The Duke and Duchess of York
Any hopes Prince Andrew had of being welcomed back into the royal fold have been well and truly dashed following the latest controversy to hit the disgraced duke. It’s been revealed that he is a close confidant of Chinese businessman Yang Tengbo, who is alleged to be a spy and has been banned from the UK.
After the news broke in December, Andrew, 64, was a no-show at the royal family’s Christmas celebrations and it’s expected he won’t be invited to other family events in 2025. Palace sources say this is likely to make the already reclusive Andrew even more of a hermit. His ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, 65, and daughters Princess Beatrice, 36, and Princess Eugenie, 34, are said to be concerned about the fact he rarely leaves his Windsor home, Royal Lodge, other than to go riding.
And Royal Lodge may not be his home for much longer. The King has been pressuring him to move out of the home he shares with Fergie for over a year. He may’ve finally found a way of getting his brother to relocate, by axeing the funding Andrew gets for security and living expenses.
He still has 53 years to run on his lease. However, he may not be able to afford to live at Royal Lodge any longer as he is obliged to pay for maintenance and the bill is enormous.
While Andrew is experiencing tough times, Fergie is bouncing back after a couple of stressful years. Following diagnoses of both breast cancer and melanoma, she’s now doing well health-wise and enjoying success as an author, regular TV guest and spokesperson for several charities.
She will continue working with a ghostwriter this year to produce more novels, as part of a 22-book deal she signed with an Australian publisher in 2022.
Fergie is also looking forward to becoming a grandmother again, with daughter Beatrice expecting her second child.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh
Edward and Sophie’s diary gets busier each year, and 2025 is likely to follow that trend, with the pair continuing to represent the King wherever they can. Sophie, 59, is expected to add to the air miles she racked up last year on visits to countries like Chad, Ukraine and Malta by making more overseas trips. She and Edward, 60, could also head to Australia if oldest child Lady Louise goes there for a gap year later this year.
Louise’s boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp lived in Melbourne as a teenager and is keen to spend more time there. Louise, 21, may take time out from her English degree, which she is half-way through, to join him.
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