THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY - Royal predictions for 2022

There’ll be tours, trials, fun, festivities, a platinum parade and a shock tell-all

- Judy Kean

Unfortunately 2021 wasn’t the best of years for the royals, given the death of Prince Philip and the allegations made during the Oprah Winfrey interview by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

So what is likely to be in store for the Queen and her clan this year? Here’s what 2022 could hold.

THE QUEEN

The biggest event on the calendar for 2022 is the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The actual anniversary is February 6, but the Queen likes to spend that day in quiet reflection rather than celebration, as it is also the anniversary of the death of her beloved father George VI.

Instead, there will be various events marking her 70 years as monarch held throughout the year, with the major commemorations taking place over four days in June. An extended public holiday has been declared in the UK, starting on Thursday, June 2. The festivities include a special Trooping the Colour birthday parade, a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral and a live concert at Buckingham Palace, starring some of the biggest names in show business.

It will be a demanding few days for Her Majesty, who will be 96 by then. After she suffered an undisclosed bout of illness in October that resulted in an overnight hospital stay, and then a back strain in November, there were some suggestions that the jubilee events could be scaled down in case the Queen was not well enough to participate.