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Prince William celebrates his 41st birthday on June 21 after a milestone year of dramatic changes in the life of the prince, the monarchy and Britain itself.
In the past 12 months, William has observed the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana's death; marked the passing of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II; seen himself elevated from Duke of Cambridge to Prince of Wales; and faced criticism about his childhood and personal life by his brother, Prince Harry.
There have also been happier events: celebrating his landmark eco-initiative, the Earthshot Prize, in its second year during a Boston awards ceremony; marking his 12th wedding anniversary with Kate Middleton (now the Princess of Wales); and attending his father's historic coronation last month.
Here, Newsweek looks at some of the biggest events in William's year.
Birthday Pledge to Help Others
When William turned 40 in June 2022, Kensington Palace marked the occasion by releasing a series of photographs eschewing the traditional form of royal portraiture. There were images of the prince selling The Big Issue, a magazine that supports the homeless and those struggling financially, on the street in London.
The prince wrote in an article for the magazine that he was inspired by his mother to take a greater interest in helping members of communities around Britain who find themselves homeless.
"While I may seem like one of the most unlikely advocates for this cause, I have always believed in using my platform to help tell those stories and to bring attention and action to those who are struggling. I plan to do that now I'm turning 40, even more than I have in the past," William wrote.
"So, for my part, I commit to continue doing what I can to shine a spotlight on this solvable issue not just today, but in the months and years to come," he said.
The prince's nod to Diana's charitable work was a touching way of recognizing the lasting impact of her legacy in the 25th year since her death. Though the anniversary was not formally marked, William paid tribute to his mother in speeches and messages throughout the year.
Death of Queen Elizabeth II, Elevation to Prince of Wales
On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving sovereign, died at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
When his father became king, William automatically gained a new dukedom, becoming the Duke of Cambridge and Cornwall and trustee of the multimillion-pound Duchy of Cornwall estates.
A day after becoming king, Charles addressed the nation in a touching speech dedicated to his mother. In doing so, he also announced that he had elevated William further to Prince of Wales, the most senior royal title behind Britain's monarch.
"As my heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me," Charles said. "He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall, which I have undertaken for more than five decades."
The king continued: "Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty. With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given."
As Prince of Wales, William led a series of mourning events and released his own official statement dedicated to his grandmother. It included the line: "I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.
"I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all."
Earthshot 2022
In the months after becoming Prince of Wales, William embarked on his first major overseas visit. Along with Kate, he went to Boston for the second annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.
The Earthshot Prize is the prince's eco-initiative to identify and fund environmental projects that benefit the planet's ecosystem.
Over a three-day visit, the prince and princess took in a Boston Celtics game, visited the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and attended the awards show itself, which was held at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway and streamed around the world.
Prince Harry's Media Bombshells
In December 2022, after William and Kate's visit to Boston, Harry and Meghan Markle's highly anticipated Netflix series debuted to record-breaking streaming numbers for the platform.
The six-part show featured the couple's revelations about their time as working members of the royal family and the monarchy's relationship with the tabloid media in Britain. Among the bombshells involving William was Harry's allegation that his brother screamed and shouted at him during an exit meeting held with Elizabeth and that palace aides were willing to "lie" to protect William but not Harry.
Officially, William made no comment about the series, in line with a vow of "no comment" observed at the time by Buckingham Palace.
The prince remained silent in January when Harry published his long-awaited 410-page memoir, Spare, which became the fastest-selling book in history. William was central to many of Harry's stories about his childhood and beyond, including the events leading to his separation from the monarchy in 2020.
Among these, Harry recounted an alleged physical attack from William, which took place in 2019 over a dispute about Meghan's treatment of the royal household staff.
As a result of the disclosures by Harry in his Netflix show and memoir, William's popularity decreased in both the U.S. and U.K., along with Harry's popularity and that of other royals featured in the projects.
Coronation Oath
Perhaps William's biggest milestone of the past 12 months was his role in the coronation of his father.
At the Westminster Abbey ceremony with his wife and children, the prince was seen by 2,000 guests and millions watching from home as he swore his oath of allegiance to the monarch and the crown.
"I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you, and faith and truth I will bear unto you as your liege man of life and limb. So help me God," William said.
The prince made a second committal the following day when he made a tribute speech to his father during the coronation concert at Windsor Castle.
Closing his remarks, William told the audience and viewers around the world: "I commit myself to serve you all. King, country and commonwealth. God save the king!"
Today, William is the second most popular royal in America, behind Kate, according to polling done in May by Redfield & Wilton for Newsweek.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more