It’s a well worn phrase, coined by the Monarch herself. As the dust settled on a truly terrible year for the Royal Family in 1992, The Queen described it as an ‘’annus horribilis’’. Thirty years on, it’s been used several times to describe the twelve months the Windsors have just gone through. But while 2021 has been a year of sadness and frustrations, the ruling dynasty is a long way from the disastrous days of three decades ago.
No one would deny that the past twelve months have been anything other than tough for The Queen. The death of her beloved husband, on April 9th 2021, clouds over everything else. Losing Prince Philip is something she is still coming to terms with. Like all those who have loved deeply and been loved in return, The Queen will know that shaping a new life around the hole left by someone so important is a long, hard and lonely process.
She has her family to support her. Her particular praise, not just for Charles and William but for Camilla and Catherine, in her Christmas speech highlighted how big a role this raft of senior royals plays in her public and private domains. The many images of Anne, Sophie and Edward supporting her in her royal work that were included in her much watched broadcast underlined their importance, too.
However, other issues have done enough damage in the past year to lead to some claims that 2021 was an annus horribilis. The Duke of York faces a civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre who says he sexually abused her when she was seventeen. Prince Andrew denies that and the case goes before a Manhattan judge again in the early days of 2022.
Meanwhile, the early months of the year just gone were dominated by claims made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Their allegations that an unnamed member of the Royal Family made comments about the colour of the skin of their son, Archie, before his birth caused shockwaves and led to another famous line from The Queen – recollections may vary.
But despite the problems, the Royal Family leaves 2021 in a much better shape than it was when The Queen called 1992 her ‘’annus horribilis’’. Then, she had seen the marriages of three of her children disintegrate and none of it happened quietly. The year had been filled with day after day of revelations in the papers about the state of royal relationships.
It led to an erosion of support that inevitably opened up the wellworn criticisms around issues that always rise when the Monarchy’s popularity ratings sink. There were fresh questions about the cost of the Monarchy as well as its usefulness. By the time that fire devastated Windsor as 1992 ended, royal stock was so low it was hard not to see some kind of symbolism in the destruction of this ancient royal residence.
And there was little change on the horizon. No wonder The Queen, usually calm and quietly optimistic, seemed to give way to the briefest flicker of despair. But that is where this year differs so much from the past.
Big problems remain but there is far more to look forward to. Amidst the sadness of 2021 came moments of great joy, missing in 1992. The Queen welcomed four new great grandchildren, all of them much loved. Despite the problems of the year, the Windsors’ popularity remains solid. They have had big successes this year, including Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, while the whole family’s support at major global events, including the COP26 and G7 summits, cemented their role in soft diplomacy.
But it is the immediate future that marks this year as so very different. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will dominate 2022 and is already one of the big news stories of the coming twelve months. History shows us that jubilees bolster the Monarchy and lead to shared celebrations that only ever benefit the royals, however brief the boost might be. Even 2002, when the Golden Jubilee was written off as a disaster before it even began, turned into a triumph.
And The Queen goes into her Platinum Jubilee year with a huge groundswell of support behind her. After seventy years of service, her role in British life is unquestioned while even her most ardent critic would acknowledge that seven decades of duty have won her widespread and well deserved respect. There is a real sense that what is to come is a celebration of an historic reign that has redefined modern royalty and which exerts an influence that is all but impossible to define.
Which is why 2021, for all its pitfalls, is far from a horror show. Yes, it has been a time of deep sadness. But as it takes its leave, it leaves a Royal Family in a strong position to take a moment of history and turn it into a huge success. In just a few months time, massive crowds will cheer The Queen during her Platinum Jubilee weekend and the story of 2022 may well end with the famous phrase that inspired her own words of 1992. The next year could well prove to be the annus mirabilis of an already magnificent reign.
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