This past year was far from what we imagined it would be, and much of what we hoped to see in 2020 did not happen, but in the spirit of looking to the future, we have gathered our thoughts on what could happen in 2021. The Royal Central Editors have shared below what they hope to see this coming year from the royals.
Charlie Proctor, Editor-in-Chief
All I want to see in 2021 from the royals is a return to normal working practices. Assuming the vaccination programme is a success, we should hopefully see in-person engagements being conducted once again. This time next year, I hope the only context in which we will hear the word ‘Zoom’ is where Princess Anne conducts six visits in one day so has to ‘zoom’ from place to place. 2020 has been a dire year – I struggle to think of anything more boring than virtual engagements, but alas, they were (and still are) a necessity. Nonetheless, the sooner they are done with, the more fun the royal diary will become. Overseas tours, community visits and royal weddings were all cancelled in 2020 – let’s hope 2021 will be more fruitful.
A special mention must go to the Duke of Edinburgh who turns 100-years-old next June. If all goes according to plan, his centenary will give the country the perfect opportunity to party!
Brittani Barger, Deputy Editor
First of all, I hope for this pandemic to finally be over now that we have a vaccine! Then all of our lives can get back to normal, and the royals can go back on regular engagements again! I do look forward to a Japanese State Visit to the UK if the pandemic subsides enough for us to get a visit like that in the coming year. I’m really looking forward to visits to foreign countries, and maybe the Spanish State Visit to the United States can also take place under the new administration.
Aside from that, I hope to see Sweden get a new princess when Princess Sofia gives birth. She and Prince Carl Philip already have two sons (Princes Alexander and Gabriel), so I hope they have a daughter. It would be lovely to see Mike and Zara Tindall have a boy since they have two daughters, as well. I can’t leave out Princess Eugenie who I hope has a healthy baby, as well. Babies are such a wonderful thing to celebrate, and boy, do we need things to celebrate in 2021!
Moniek Bloks, Assistant Editor
As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, we’ll hopefully see the royals return to a somewhat normal life. I suspect it won’t be completely normal until after the summer of 2021, but one can hope. We do have some baby news to keep us occupied in the meantime! There are a few milestones coming up that will see some big celebrations if the pandemic allows it – Queen Maxima will turn 50, Princess Catharina-Amalia will reach adulthood, Prince Philip will turn 100, Queen Elizabeth II will turn 95, the Crown Prince of Morocco will turn 18, and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden will turn 75. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark had her 80th birthday celebrations all but cancelled last year, so if it’s possible, she’ll throw a grand fête. King Harald V of Norway will celebrate 30 years on the throne in early January, and the King and Queen of Sweden will also celebrate 45 years of marriage. The King and Queen of Bhutan will celebrate ten years of marriage.
Let’s hope it will be a happy year for us all.
Lydia Starbuck, Associate Editor
Like everyone else, I hope this time next year we are looking back at the pandemic as part of our recent history. A return to normality for all of us must surely be top of any 2021 wishlist. I hope that by the middle of the year to come, things have changed enough for some kind of celebration to take place marking the 100th birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip’s centenary, on June 10th 2021, would be the ideal opportunity to pay tribute to a man whose continuing devotion to The Queen and the Royal Family has helped build the House of Windsor into a modern success story. However much he might hate the idea of a celebration focused just on him, I hope we get to see it.
But much as I have missed the big set pieces of the royal year, what I’d really like to see in the months to come is an even greater focus on the work that all Europe’s ruling houses do across society. A return to what we once called normality will take a huge effort from all of us, but there are many who will need even more support as the pandemic begins to pass. The royals have an unparalleled opportunity to help, and they are all using it wisely as we continue to face the many challenges of this tumultuous time. I hope that in 2021 they continue to shine a spotlight on those who might otherwise be forgotten. Rebuilding after Covid will be as far-reaching a social entreprise as many of us have ever seen unfold. I hope that 2021 will be the year that all royals use the power and influence they have to help bring all of us back to a place where we can see a clear path ahead, free of fear.
What do you hope to see in 2021 from the royals? Let us know in the comments!
