This article originally appeared on Harper’s BAZAAR UK.
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9 Of The Most Memorable Royal Moments From The Past Decade
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Prince William married his girlfriend of eight years, Catherine Middleton, on 29 April 2011. The ceremony, which took place at Westminster Abbey, was watched by 26.3 million UK viewers, with a total of 36.7 million watching at least some part of the wedding coverage. Some media reports cited that two billion people around the world watched the event, although it's thought this figure could be exaggerated. The day itself was declared a public bank holiday, and 5,000 Brits hosted street parties to celebrate. The bride wore an Alexander McQueen gown, a well-kept secret up until the wedding, raising the brand's profile and putting creative director Sarah Burton on the international stage. The royal couple were later given the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Photo: Getty
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On 6 February 2012, the Queen became only the second British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee - the 60th anniversary since her accession. There were numerous celebrations, but among the most famous was the Thames Pageant, when 1,000 boats assembled from across the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world to sail approximately seven miles from Chelsea to Tower Bridge. The Queen travelled on the Royal Barge, which was decorated with 10,000 flowers, with the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Harry, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Cambridges. A televised Diamond Jubilee concert was staged in the Queen's honour, with performances from Kylie Minogue, Gary Barlow, Sir Elton John, Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.
Photo: Chris Furlong
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their first child, Prince George Alexander Louis Cambridge, on 22 July 2013. Because the baby is third in the line to the throne behind his grandfather Prince Charles and his father, his birth was widely celebrated across the UK. He was born in the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, London, and the bells of Westminster Abbey and many other churches were rung. The couple posed with their newborn son on the steps of the hospital not long after the birth, a moment widely documented by the press. Prince George was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace on 23 October 2013. He often joins his parents on royal tours, and has - aged six - already met numerous political figures including Barack Obama, who he greeted in his dressing down in 2016. The Cambridges went onto have two other children, Princess Charlotte who was born on 2 May 2015, and Prince Louis, who arrived on 23 April 2019.
Photo: Getty
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On 9 September 2015, the Queen became the longest-reigning UK monarch, surpassing the tenure of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. It was business as usual for the monarch that day, as she travelled with the Duke of Edinburgh by steam train from Edinburgh to Tweedbank, where she formally opened the new £294m Scottish Borders Railway. "Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones - my own is no exception," she said in a speech delivered on the day. "But I thank you all and the many others at home and overseas for your touching messages of great kindness
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The royal family are known for their stoicism and stiff upper lip, which is why the launch of Heads Together campaign was a groundbreaking moment for the firm. On 16 May 2016, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry unveiled their initiative to end stigma around mental health. The campaign works in partnership with inspiring charities to change the national conversation on mental wellbeing, encouraging people to talk about any difficulties they might be experiencing. As part of their work, both William and Harry opened up about their grief and struggles following the death of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Harry revealed that he'd had therapy to help him process the tragedy in the hope that his story would help others to discuss their personal mental health battles.
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On 4 May 2017, it was announced that the Duke of Edinburgh was retiring from public engagements at the age of 96. His final duty in August that year was to meet Royal Marines who had recently completed a mammoth 1,664-mile trek. The decision - which was was fully supported by the Queen - came after the Duke had spent more than 65 years supporting the monarch in her role as head of state and attending events for his own charities and organisations. He had joked about his impending retirement in the months leading up to it, telling celebrity chef Prue Leith a palace event: "I'm discovering what it's like to be on your last legs."
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Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, isn't the first royal to have her wardrobe scrutinised - Diana, Princess of Wales, Princess Margaret and the Duchess of Cambridge all prompted copycat styles - but the former actress is thought to be the most influential of all. In 2019, WWD reported that data provider SEMrush had studied both Kate and Meghan's impact on retail and found that Meghan is searched 35 percent more than Kate. According to Lyst, Meghan's outfit choices trigger almost twice as much online demand as Kate's do. On average in 2019, Kate's fashion choices have lead to an increase of 119 per cent of online interest in comparison to Meghan, who averages at about 216 per cent. The reason for her appeal has been attributed to her accessibility and modern style choices.
Photo: Getty