The Royal Family in 2017: The highs and lows, the poignant and funny moments

Raven Gordon , CTVNews.ca Staff</span>
Published Monday, December 18, 2017 6:00AM EST

The year started off on a bit of a low note for the Royal Family with news the matriarch was ill. Queen Elizabeth did not attend church service on New Year’s Day as she recovered from what Buckingham Palace described as a “heavy cold.”

Concerns about the Queen’s health turned to celebration the following month when she marked 65 years on the throne. Throughout the year, Queen Elizabeth, who turned 91 this year, kept up with royal duties. She participated in a number of public engagements -- including one that saw a banana being snatched from her royal hands.

In 2017, Prince Philip retired from public royal duties -- leaving Prince William to step up. The Duke of Cambridge retired as an air ambulance pilot to take on royal duties full time.

Royal duties for the family turned serious as tragedy struck the U.K. The royal family met with survivors of the Manchester concert bombing in hospital and displaced residents of the deadly highrise fire in London.

Throughout the year, we got to see a lighter and a more transparent side of the younger royals. Prince Harry and Prince William gave a number of interviews and speeches, where they opened up about mental illness, life as a royal and dealing with the death of their mom, Diana.

Royal mania hit Canada with visits from Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, during Canada 150 celebrations -- but the royal craze hit its peak in September with the Invictus Games. It was in Toronto, during the competitions, where the public got its first official glimpse at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as a couple.

For a full look at worthy royal news from 2017, watch the video above.

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