Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Dramas and Mourning the Queen Mark Royals' 2022

Queen Elizabeth II closed the royal family's 2021 with a Christmas message in which she stated that "life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings."

Not that anyone knew at the time, but the monarchy's 2022 would be defined by another final parting as the royals, Britain and people around the world bid a final farewell to Elizabeth after 70 years on the throne.

It was also a year of renewal as Britain got its first king since 1952, a new Princess of Wales, a title last held by Princess Diana before her death in 1997, and a first look at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Netflix and Spotify projects.

Prince Louis stole the show time at multiple royal events and the royals got a taste of boos and protests as the bubble of royal deference burst.

King Charles III's Olive Branch for Harry in Newsweek Essay

Then still a prince, Charles began the year with an optimistic message, urging action on climate change but also extending an olive branch to Prince Harry, name checking his son's contribution to helping the environment.

In a Newsweek cover essay published in January, the now-king wrote: "As a father, I am proud that my sons have recognised this threat.

"Most recently, my elder son, William, launched the prestigious Earthshot Prize to incentivise change and help repair our planet over the next ten years by identifying and investing in the technologies that can make a difference.

"And my younger son, Harry, has passionately highlighted the impact of climate change, especially in relation to Africa, and committed his charity to being net zero."

Queen Elizabeth II Marks 70 Years on the Throne

The queen marked the start of her Platinum Jubilee year in February with a major announcement about the future of the monarchy.

Elizabeth expressed her desire that Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, would be titled Queen Consort when Charles became king.

The move reversed a palace policy in place since the couple's marriage that she would be known instead as Princess Consort out of respect for Princess Diana.

The big celebrations, however, were saved for June and proved to be the queen's big goodbye to the country she dedicated her life to serving.

Despite episodic mobility problems, the queen made two balcony appearances at Buckingham Palace and took part in a beacon lighting ceremony.

Prince Louis Becomes a Royal Superstar

Elizabeth was not the only star of her Platinum Jubilee as Prince Louis stole hearts alongside her on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

The four-year-old, who started at Lambrook School, in Berkshire, in September, was photographed with hands over his ears as an exhibition by Royal Air Force jets flew past overhead during Trooping the Colour, on June 2.

Then at the Platinum Jubilee pageant on June 5 he was pictured sticking his tongue out at Kate Middleton during a cheeky moment.

Louis warmed hearts again at Christmas after being given flowers to pass on to his sister Princess Charlotte by a well wisher.

The young royal was seen running threw the crowds shouting his sister's name as he appeared to treat his new mission with the seriousness it deserved.

Prince William and Kate Middleton's Disastrous Caribbean Tour

Prince William and Kate's Platinum Jubilee started some months earlier in March 2022, with a tour of Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas in celebration of Elizabeth's reign.

The couple's visit, however, appeared to do the opposite when it provoked a debate about breaking from the monarchy in the countries they visited.

All three counted the queen as their head of state then, and the king now, but William and Kate were met with protests.

One of their engagements in Belize was cancelled over local opposition, and the protesters in Jamaica gathered outside the British High Commission in Kingston on the day of their arrival.

Add in some awkward photos of them meeting children through the holes in a wire fence in Trench Town, and accusations of colonial overtones as they were paraded standing up in the back of a Land Rover, and it all made for the kind of bad PR a public institution does not need in the aftermath of racism allegations against an unnamed royal made by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle almost exactly a year earlier.

Queen Elizabeth II's Death and the New Era of King Charles III

The queen's health had been the subject of speculation since an October 2021 health scare forced her to cancel a series of royal visits, including the COP26 climate conference.

When tragedy came on September 8, 2022, her decline appeared to be rapid and she died several hours after a Buckingham Palace statement announced she was under medical supervision.

Charles and Princess Anne were with her at Balmoral, her Scottish estate, and other family members were still scrambling to get to her side.

Prince William, Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Prince Andrew shared a private plane while Prince Harry was expected to arrange his own travel.

The Duke of Sussex was only told about the loss of his grandmother upon landing, some fifteen minutes after the official announcement went to the press.

In the aftermath, though, royal unity developed in Elizabeth's honor. Charles returned to London and the following day included warm words for Harry and Meghan in his first public broadcast as king.

Then, Harry, Meghan, William and Kate were seen alongside each other for the first time in more than two years as they met well wishers outside Windsor Castle.

There were still bumps in the road, however. Harry was initially denied the right to wear his military uniform in the queen's honor despite being a working royal.

However, the royal truce held long enough for Meghan to join King Charles and the wider family in paying respects to the queen at Westminster Abbey, in London, and St George's Chapel, in Windsor, during her funeral on September 19.

Eggs and Boos: A Year of Right Royal Protests

Deference to the royal family appeared to evaporate in 2022 as the royals were variously booed, protested and egged.

Beyond Kate and William's rough ride in Jamaica, Prince William was booed at the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium in May before Harry and Meghan were treated similarly at a Platinum Jubilee church service on June 3.

There were protests during events commemorating the queen in the days after her death, including the arrest of a man for heckling Prince Andrew.

Eggs were allegedly twice thrown at King Charles, including on a visit to York in November and Luton in December, and anti-monarchy activists are planning more protests at his coronation in May.

Queen Elizabeth II's Lady-in-Waiting Quits in Race Storm

Lady Susan Hussey was known as the queen's number one head girl, but in December bowed out of her palace role after repeatedly asking a black charity boss where she was from, seemingly unsatisfied with the answer that she was British.

Ngozi Fulani, chief executive of Sistah Space, detailed the incident in an Instagram post which said she was asked multiple questions, including "No, what part of Africa are YOU from?" and "No, but where do you really come from, where do your people come from?"

Fulani wrote that "this event remains a blur after the violation" and added: "She put her hand in my hair to move my locs so that she could see my name badge."

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "The individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect."

Fulani then received a backlash in the days that followed from commentators who sought to draw attention to past remarks she had made about the monarchy, though this was then condemned by the palace.

A statement confirmed that Hussey and Fulani met on December 16 and added: "At this meeting, filled with warmth and understanding, Lady Susan offered her sincere apologies for the comments that were made and the distress they caused to Ms Fulani.

"Lady Susan has pledged to deepen her awareness of the sensitivities involved and is grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the issues in this area.

"Ms Fulani, who has unfairly received the most appalling torrent of abuse on social media and elsewhere, has accepted this apology and appreciates that no malice was intended."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Swipes

The royal truce during the queen's funeral marked a brief pause in the royal rift which was otherwise visible for much of the year.

Prince Harry dodged a question when asked at the Invictus Games whether he missed his father and brother in April.

Meghan told her Archetypes podcast in August that they were made to return to work after a fire in baby Archie's bedroom during a September 2019 royal tour of South Africa, when he was four months old.

Most of all though, Harry finally outlined some detail about the rift with his brother during Part II of their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan, which landed on December 15.

Harry said: "It was terrifying. To have my brother scream and shout at me and my father say things that just simply weren't true and my grandmother, you know, quietly sit there and sort of take it all in."