It’s all over the internet at the moment: 2026 is the new 2016. It seems many people feel that 2016 was one of the best years in recent history – and, looking back at a jam-packed royal calendar, we have to agree.
The late Queen Elizabeth II celebrated a huge milestone, while her grandson Prince William shared a number of adorable moments with his growing family. Prince Harry was making regular appearances at royal engagements, while things looked quite different for some members of the extended royal family.
Keep scrolling for a royal trip down memory lane, packed to the brim with iconic moments.
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Prince William and Catherine, the then-Duchess of Cambridge, warmed all our hearts by releasing these adorable skiing holiday pictures. The royal couple had taken a trip to the French Alps with their two young children, Prince George, two, and Princess Charlotte, who was then just ten months old. We can’t get over how sweet the family looks, bundled up together in a wintry wonderland.
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Her Majesty, the late Queen Elizabeth II, celebrated a huge milestone in 2016. The monarch celebrated her 90th birthday, releasing a new portrait that featured herself with her son, the then-Prince Charles.
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At only two years old, Prince George was already practising his diplomacy skills. The young royal stayed up past his bedtime to meet the then-US President Barack Obama – and the photos were just too cute. Barack and Michelle Obama had given Prince George a large wooden rocking horse when he was born, which George could be seen playing on while his parents and their guest applauded.
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Who can forget this fun moment between brothers? Prince William and Prince Harry took part in a playful lightsaber fight as they toured the Star Wars set, meeting the cast, creatives and production crews behind the blockbuster franchise. It definitely looked like an enjoyable day out for the pair.
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Prince William, Duchess Kate and Prince Harry joined together for an important cause in May 2016. The then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Harry were at the Queen Elizabeth Park in London to launch their mental health initiative, the Heads Together Campaign. The event saw the royals try their hand at boxing, and even saw Harry get on the DJ decks!
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Queen Elizabeth II was pictured at Epsom in June 2016, enjoying the racing from the balcony of the Royal Box during Derby Day with her late husband, Prince Phillip, and their son, the now-disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
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The late Queen celebrated her birthday in style with the traditional Trooping the Colour, and the balcony of Buckingham Palace was awash with colour for the occasion. Another royal family member marking a special moment, too: Princess Charlotte was making her debut on the balcony! And who could forget the little moment we saw between Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William: when William bent down to speak to a young Prince George, the Queen seemed unimpressed and was caught on camera telling him to stand up straight instead!
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2016 was also an important year for Prince Harry, who went on his first date with his future wife, Meghan Markle. The pair met at private members club Soho House in London. Prince Harry later recalled that he thought Meghan was “heart-attack beautiful” as they got to know each other.
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Life looked quite different for many members of the royal family, including Peter Phillips. The son of Princess Anne was still with his then-wife, Autumn Kelly, with whom he shares two daughters, Savannah and Isla.
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Mike Tindall, Princess Anne’s son-in-law, looked quite different in 2016. The former England rugby union player had broken his nose at least eight times during the course of his career, leaving it twisted to the left. It was not until 2018 that he appeared to have had his nose straightened, not long before the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
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We had to include this sweet mother-and-son moment between Queen Elizabeth II and her eldest son Charles. The pair were captured smiling at each other as they attended the Braemar Highland Gathering, which included a variety of sporting events, and raised money for Scottish residents affected by Storm Frank.
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took a big step in 2016, embarking on their first royal tour abroad as a family. The royal pair took three-year-old Prince George and 16-month-old Princess Charlotte to Canada, where we saw a plethora of adorable moments. We’re certainly hoping for another Wales family tour in 2026!
Cuteness overload alert! The then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Canadian tour brought us these sweet family moments and we can’t get enough, even ten years on. Prince George was seen sweetly hugging his father, Prince William, as they attended a children’s party for military families in Victoria. During the same trip, Princess Charlotte proved herself every inch the perfect tiny royal, as she joined her mother in waving to well-wishers as the family departed from Victoria.
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Now a few months into their relationship, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle enjoyed a fun, relaxed outing together. In previously unseen photos, revealed in their 2022 Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, the couple dressed up for spooky season, attending an apocalypse-themed party in Toronto with Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie and Eugenie’s boyfriend-now-husband, Jack Brooksbank. Meghan was living in the city at the time filming for her hit legal drama, Suits.
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2025 brought us some incredible white-tie looks from the royal family, especially the Princess of Wales – but how about this throwback to 2016? Senior members of the royal family gathered for the annual evening reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace. Duchess Kate’s gorgeous red gown seems positively understated compared to the opulence of her more recent white-tie looks – but she still looked absolutely stunning.
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Christmas is a time for family, and the close bond between Prince William and Prince Harry was certainly visible during the 2016 festive period. Prince Harry was pictured joining his brother and his family in the car on the way to a Christmas lunch for members of the royal family hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace – a lovely moment as the brothers arrived together.