December 1
Prince Harry joined in a conversation via video with CEO Ellen Windemuth and Head of Strategy Sam Sutaria of WaterBear, a platform offering free documentaries and live, original content from more than 80 NGOs across the world. It is said Harry was not paid for appearance in the video as he spoke in his role of head of the conservation group Africa Parks.
December 1
The Queen is seen out riding on the grounds of Windsor Castle with Head Groom Terry Pendry after it was announced that she and Prince Philip have abandoned plans for the usual Sandringham Christmas.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said:
"Having considered appropriate advice, the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have decided that this year they will spend Christmas quietly in Windsor."
Royal insiders have claimed they will celebrate Christmas day with their youngest son, Price Edward, and his family. Previously, the extended Royal Family would gather at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk to celebrate Christmas, attending a church service on Christmas Day, and enjoy a traditional hunt on Boxing Day.
December 1
News breaks that Lady Celia Vestey, one of Harry's six godparents, had died at age 71. Lady Celia along with her husband Lord Samuel Vestey have been a part of the Queen's inner circle for numerous decades. Lady Celia attended Prince Harry's 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle.
December 2
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the National Gallery as it reopened following the country's second lockdown. The Prince is the patron of the National Gallery.
December 3
The Countess of Wessex visited Camberley Resource Centre to support her patronage Disability Initiative. The charity supports adults with disabilities. It specializes in providing care and rehabilitation so that the disabled may live independently.
December 3
Princess Eugenie was spotted shopping in London and carrying a large bag from maternity clothing shop Seraphine. The Princess is expecting her first child with husband Jack Brooksbank. The couple have said their baby is due in 'early 2021.'
December 3
Megan and Harry are seen shopping for a Christmas tree in California. Prince Harry was mistaken for an employee by one little patron!
December 3
The Earl of Wessex visited Newbury Market to hear from traders about how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their trade. During the lockdown, the market was only open for essential items. It has now re-opened to other traders ahead of Christmas.
December 3
Prince Charles and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall paid a visit to The 100 Club in London to learn about how the pandemic has affected music professionals.
The couple also visited Soho Theater. They were joined by the mayor of London whose Culture at Risk emergency fund is helping some of the most at-risk small businesses, including providing support and guidance to 141 grassroots music venues.
December 4
Princess Eugenie release a video message of thanks to the Salvation Army from her home Ivy Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace (Eugenie and her husband are slated to move in to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor prior to the arrival of their first child in the new year). The video was released via the charity she co-founded, the Anti Slavery Collective. Eugenie had the privilege of visiting both a Salvation Army food distribution hub and a safe house this year.
December 4
The Queen held Audiences with incoming Ambassadors via video link. The Queen was stationed at Windsor Castle while the ambassadors arrived a Buckingham Palace in London.
December 6
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge start their mini-tour of the UK aboard the Royal Train. Over the next two days the couple will visit nine locations in England, Scotland, and Wales. Their Royal Highnesses trip is to pay tribute to the work of individuals and organizations who went above and beyond in the response to the pandemic.
The couple boarded the train at London's Euston Station. This is their first ever journey aboard the Royal Train!
December 7
Prince Charles and Camilla attended a service at Salisbury Cathedral in celebration of its 800th anniversary. Their Royal Highnesses unveiled a special engraved stone to mark the anniversary and met with clergy.
December 7
The Cambridge's first stop on the Royal Train Tour was Edinburgh, Scotland! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also announced as the joint patrons of NHS Charities. There are 240 UK NHS charities that provide extra funding and additional services supporting hospitals, community and mental health services, and ambulance services.
While in Edinburgh, Will and Kate met Scotland Ambulance Service's paramedics and staff to thank them for their incredible efforts throughout the pandemic.
The couple's next stop was at Berwick-Upon-Tweed to meet staff and pupils from Holy Trinity Church of England First School, where The Duke and Duchess celebrated the work of teachers of the past year.
After an outfit change for Kate, the train next stopped in Batley. She and Will met volunteers at the Batley Community Centre who have supported elderly members of their community throughout the pandemic by sending cards, having regular phone calls, and dropping of shopping, food bags, and activity packs.
It was then time to move on to Manchester! At Fare Share Greater Manchester, Prince William and Catherine paid tribute to volunteers and organizations across the UK who have supported vulnerable families throughout 2020.
The Duke and Duchess were treated to a special performance by Wayne Ellingston and Manchester Inspirational Voices. The show was presented by Band on the Wall, a local, independent music venue that had been supported during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Government's Culture Recovery Fund.
December 8
The first stop of Day 2 of the Royal Train Tour was in Cardiff. The Duke and Duchess joined students from Cardiff University for some marshmallow toasting, a Secret Santa exchange, and to discuss mental health over the past year during the pandemic.
Will and Kate then boarded the train and headed to Bath. The royal pair stopped at Cleeve Court Home Care where they paid tribute to the efforts of the care staff across the country. and heard from staff about their experience in providing care and helping residents stay connected to their loved ones.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge next visited the Royal Berkshire Hospital where they met with nurses who have been working during the pandemic.
For the final stop on the Royal Train Tour, their Royal Highnesses met up with the Queen and other members of the Royal family in Windsor to thank local volunteer and key workers. The three were joined by Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne, and The Earl and Countess of Wessex.
December 9
Reports are confirmed that Zara Tindall (granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth and daughter of Princess Anne) is pregnant with her third child! Husband and father-to-be Mike Tindall has been vocal about his hopes for a boy. Zara and Mike are parents to two daughters, Mia (age 6) and Lena (pronounced lay-na, age 2).
Zara suffered two miscarriages in between the birth of her daughters. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex also recently shared she suffered a miscarriage, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex suffered a loss in the form of an atopic pregnancy in 2001.
December 9
The Earl and Countess of Wessex visit Moorcroft Community Center in Woking to help prepare meals for families at Foodwise. Since late March 2020, Foodwise was able to deliver over 30,000 meals for over 300 families in need in Guilford and Woking in the Surrey area of England.
December 9
Beth, one of Camilla's two rescue Jack Russell terriers, provided assistance as the Duchess visited the Battersea Dogs and Cats Rescue Centre (Windsor branch) to open a new kennel facility named after her.
The Duchess of Cornwall and Beth the Jack Russell met with the staff and charity's supporters to thank them for their work.
December 9
Sophie, Countess of Wessex was on tap for another engagement, this time to Shooting Star Children's Hospices Charity Shop in Hampton to help them prepare for Christmas.
Sophie helped create a window display with fellow volunteers, and also spoke to the Shooting Star staff about the impact of the pandemic on the hospice's services.
December 10
Sophie made a solo visit to York Road Project at their temporary facility in the HG Wells Conference Centre in Woking, Surrey. The charity provides support and accommodation to those experiencing homelessness.
December 10
Prince Charles visited The Ritz hotel in London to hear how they have been managing. He met with a range of staff during his visit.
December 10
Later that day The Prince of Wales received The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Skeikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahya at Clarence House.
December 11
Prince Edward and his wife Sophie attended an engagement at Kneller Hall, Twickenham for the Corps of Army Music. The ceremony was to mark the Corps of Army Music receiving a new royal title.
December 11
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with their children Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte attended a special performance of The Nation Lottery's Pantoland at The Palladium in the West End of London. The performance was held to thank key workers and their families.
December 11
Earlier this week The Princess Royal visited Barka Parka a small business in Somerset which makes dog beds. Princess Anne was shown the company's new eco-friendly materials and heard how their business has been affected by the pandemic.
December 12
Princess Diana's godson, Prince Philippos of Greece, marries his long-time girlfriend and aviation heiress, Nina Flohr, with only their fathers present. The couple married at an exclusive Swiss ski report in St. Moritz. King Constantine II of Greece, the groom's father, is one of Prince William's godfathers and also first cousin of Prince Philip.
December 14
Oprah shares a post on Instagram featuring a basket full of Clevr Blends vegan instant oak milk lattes from her 'neighbor M.' She goes on to clarify 'yes, that M' with a crown emoji. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is said to be an investor in the Clevr Blends brand.
December 14
Mum-to-Be Princess Eugenie release a video message to mark ICAP Charity Day. She thanked ICAP for its support of the Teenage Cancer Trust charity.
December 14
Harper's Bizarre confirms that Pippa Middleton Matthews is pregnant with her second child! Pippa and her husband James are mum and dad to 2-year-old Arthur.
December 14
A pre-recorded video message from The Duchess of Sussex airs on American television as part of CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, a program thanking and celebrating the COVID-19 pandemic's quiet heroes. In the video, Meghan praises the compassion she has seen during the last year.
December 15
Spotify announced that it has signed a multiyear deal with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's newly formed production company, Archewell Audio, to host and produce podcasts on the platform. Archewell Audio will release a holiday special hosted by Harry and Meghan later this month. The first complete series from Archewell Audio and Spotify is expected to launch in 2021.
The couple release short audio clip introducing Archewell Audio and discussing what to expect from the holiday special.
December 16
Pippa Middleton Matthews, younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, is spotted out in London with her young son Arthur two days after confirming she is pregnant with her second child.
December 16
The Cambridge Family releases it 2020 Christmas card!
December 16
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall release their Christmas card on the same day!
December 17
Princess Eugenie released a pre-recorded special reading of The Grinch that Stole Christmas during Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital Charity's 'Virtually Christmas' event. The Princess later delivered a heartfelt message of thanks to the staff of the hospital for the care that her father-in-law, George Brooksbanks, received while he was inpatient due to COVID-19.
"I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone at the Royal Brompton for saving my father-in-law's life. From the bottom of my husband's heart and my heart, we just want to thank you for everything you have done on the front line, making sure we can all be safe and sleep well at night."
December 17
In a new video, Princess Anne is interviewed by Formula 1 racing great Sir Jackie Stewart to raise the profile of his Race Against Dementia Charity. Sir Jackie's wife, Lady Helen, is godmother to Princess Anne's daughter Zara and has battled dementia for the last six years. Their recorded conversation is for a series called 'Memories.' The two joked and discussed shared memories from their decades long friendship, and the effect Lady Helen had had on Anne and Zara's lives.
December 17
Both Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall visited the Gloucestershire Hospitals Edward Jenner COVID-19 Vaccination hub to support the recent vaccination roll out.
December 17
Princess Anne visited the Britannia Royal Naval College. Her Royal Highness inspected passing out classes. She is the Chief Commandant for Women in the Royal Navy.
December 17
Princess Eugenie (and her baby bump!) is seen leaving work in London. The Royal works full time as a direction at the Hauser & Wirth art gallery. She is due with her first child in early 2021. This will also be the first grandchild for Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York.
December 18
The Corinium Museum welcomed His Royal Highness Prince Charles. He was shown the new galleries. The newly opened displays hold more than 600 objects and artifacts.
December 18
Princess Eugenie is joined by her sister Princess Beatrice and mum Sarah, Duchess of York for an emotional virtual event to celebrate 30 years of the Teenage Cancer Trust charity. The Duchess of York has been patron of the charity for over three decades and opened its first special hospital unit for young people in 1990.
December 18
The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron of the Chartered College of Teaching, sent the following written message thanking the teachers and school staff at the start of the Christmas holidays:
December 18
Prince Charles visited the Royal Mail's delivery office in Cirencester and met with postal workers in the busy run-up to Christmas.
December 20
Harry and Meghan (through their foundation Archewell) announced they would be partenering with Jose Andres and World Central Kitchen, a non-profit dedicated to feeding communities negatively impacted by natural disasters. Archewell will be helping World Center Kitchen to build a series of Community Relief Centers. The first of the four centers is being built on the island of Domenica and the second will be in Puerto Rico. The other two locations have not been announced.
December 21
Princes Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are are seen out and about in Beverly Hills.
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