Queen Elizabeth II's final year saw her continue to struggle with grief over the death of Prince Philip and grapple with some of the most complex issues of her reign—including Prince Andrew's sex abuse lawsuit, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The monarch, who died Thursday aged 96, is often said to have never put a foot wrong in public life, though her final years presented some of the most dramatic allegations against the monarchy alongside complex family tensions and rivalries.
Elizabeth led the royal family's reaction to Meghan and Harry's Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021, with a public statement that will go down in the annals of crisis managements history.
Famously, she showed sympathy for the Sussexes but also gave the subtlest of hints that the royals contested at least some of their bombshell claims when she said: "Some recollections may vary."
Just a month later, in April 2021, Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years, died at Windsor Castle.
Elizabeth showed leadership to her country as she mourned alone during his scaled-down, COVID-compliant funeral at St George's Chapel.
And the grief at Philip's loss was still clear when she gave her final Christmas speech in December 2021.
"Although it's a time of great happiness and good cheer for many," Elizabeth said, "Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. This year, especially, I understand why.
She added: "But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas. We felt his presence as we, like millions around the world, readied ourselves for Christmas."
In 2022, the queen also finally confronted the scandal engulfing her favorite son, Prince Andrew, who was accused of raping a 17-year-old Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking victim in a civil lawsuit in New York. Prince Andrew denies wrongdoing.
The year began with Prince Andrew losing an attempt to have the case thrown out and vowing he would clear his name, before later being stripped of his honorary titles and patronages by Elizabeth.
A Buckingham Palace statement at the time read: "With The Queen's approval and agreement, The Duke of York's military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen.
"The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen."
Only weeks later Andrew, who remains the Duke of York, then settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Problems did not stop there.
Pictures on the front of British newspapers, showing the disgraced prince escorting his mother for a memorial service for Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey in March 2022, triggered a public backlash against the monarchy.
Prince Andrew was at one stage also due to attend celebrations of her Platinum Jubilee, in June, but tested positive for COVID-19 days before, forcing him to isolate.
The controversy surrounding the Duke of York returned again in June when it was suggested he would attend Garter Day as a knight of the historic order of chivalry.
However, Andrew ultimately pulled out of the event, sparing the royal family a day of negative headlines and seemingly sealing his fate: exiled in disgrace.
In 2022, Elizabeth was also at the center of discussions around Harry and Meghan's role in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Buckingham Palace, controversially, banned the Sussexes from the balcony, leaving them to watch her Trooping the Color birthday parade from a side office on June 2.
The couple were, however, invited to a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London the following day; though the queen pulled out owing to episodic mobility problems.
The breakdown of Elizabeth's health also made her final year a period of canceled events,with duties slowly passing to her son, then-Prince Charles, who conducted the State Opening of Parliament in her place.
Elizabeth during her life asked 15 prime ministers to form a government, most recently just two days before her death.
Today, on September 9, King Charles III will meet his first prime minister, Liz Truss, a day after he said goodbye to his mother and began his reign, after 70 years as the direct heir to the throne.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Royston is Newsweek's Chief Royal Correspondent based in London, U.K. He reports on the British royal family—including King Charles ... Read more
