December 2022
Vol 43 No 12
In our final issue for 2022 we look back at a momentous year for the House of Windsor, the nation and the Commonwealth.
Subscribe &
never miss an issue
All the latest royal news from around the world delivered direct to your home or your digital device every month.
Ingrid Seward
Editor-in-Chief of Majesty Magazine
Ingrid is acknowledged as one of the pre-eminent writers and commentators on the royal family and has published over 15 books and contributed numerous articles to publications worldwide. Ingrid is in the unique position of knowing many members of the royal family personally and through Majesty enjoys a special relationship with the Royal Household.
Letter from the Editor

This December will be the first time that Charles III has recorded a Christmas message to the nation and the Commonwealth. Over many years of public speaking the King has acquired the delivery of a professional actor and I have no doubt it will be a masterly performance. 

The last time the Christmas message was delivered by a British king was in 1951 when George VI poignantly thanked his people for their ‘support and sympathy’ during his illness, saying: ‘I trust that you yourselves realise how greatly your prayers and good wishes have helped and are helping me in my recovery.’ Two months later he was dead and it is easy to understand, having read his words, why people were shocked by his demise. They thought he was getting better. 

Before their joint workload increased in the run-up to Christmas, the Queen Consort travelled to a holistic health centre near Bangalore in India with some friends to take in a much-needed wellness stay. Three years ago, Camilla persuaded Charles to accompany her for his 71st birthday, but he has not been since. If he needs a little self-healing, he has his own spiritual retreat in his Highgrove garden – a chapel he calls his sanctuary. 

It is possible that he might need a sanctuary if the Duke of Sussex’s autobiography, Spare, to be published on 10 January, is as explosive as the press release suggests it will be. It is not the first time a member of the immediate royal family has ‘written’ their memoirs: A King’s Story by the Duke of Windsor came out in 1951. In the foreword he says he approached the task with ‘some hesitation’ as the rule of reticence that binds kings and princes in a constitutional society ‘is not lightly put aside’. 

In 1960 he published a further book, titled A Family Album. Both the Duke of Windsor – in the 1950s – and more recently the Duke of Sussex have taken substantial payments for their efforts, although in Harry’s case some of the proceeds will be donated to charities.

Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales continue with their sterling work and as a result are the most popular members of the royal family in the latest polls. Catherine, in particular, is stepping up her work and filmed a video message to launch the ‘Taking Action on Addiction’ campaign in her role as patron of the Forward Trust. As a champion of the benefits of outdoor adventure, the princess was also named patron of Captain Preet Chandi’s expedition across Antarctica. In January 2021 Chandi was the first woman of colour to reach the South Pole solo and unsupported. She hopes to repeat her success in early 2023, having started her trek at the beginning of November with 75 days to complete the journey. 

Although it was thought that the Princess Royal would become Captain General of the Royal Marines, the role traditionally belongs to the reigning monarch. If they so desire, they can gift the military appointment to another, as the Queen did with Prince Philip and subsequently Prince Harry. For the time being at least, the King has taken on the responsibility himself. 

On behalf of everyone at Majesty I should like to wish you a very happy Christmas and hope the New Year brings you all luck and happiness.

This Issue's Features
COURTIERS: The trusted advisers who steer the King and his family’s path between public duty and private life, by Valentine Low
NORWEGIAN SPLENDOUR: The dazzling array of tiaras at the disposal of Queen Sonja and her female royal relations, by Trond Norén Isaksen
THIS UNFORGETTABLE YEAR: The challenges that George VI faced as he got to grips with the job for which he had not been prepared, by Jane Dismore
EMBLEM OF DUTY AND SERVICE: Prince Paul of Yugoslavia is remembered at an intimate royal gathering in Oxford, as witnessed by Hugo Vickers
THE YEAR OF TWO REIGNS: 2022, in which we celebrated the Queen’s platinum jubilee and only three months later bade her farewell, by Ingrid Seward
ANCIENT & MODERN: Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor is the latest member of the House of Windsor to study at the University of St Andrews
PUTTING ON THE GLITZ: The one hundredth anniversary of the coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania, by Coryne Hall
TRANSATLANTIC MONARCH: Two centuries after Pedro I achieved independence for Brazil his heart makes a brief return to South America
Our round-up of photographs shows royal families of the world at work and play
Robert Golden reflects on various aspects of regal life, both ancient and modern

See more issues

Vol 45 No 4
Vol 45 No 3
Vol 45 No 2
Vol 45 No 1
Vol 44 No 12
Vol 44 No 11
Vol 44 No 10
Vol 44 No 9
View More

Subscribe & never miss an issue

All the latest royal news from around the world delivered direct to your home or your digital device every month. Enjoy the best features written by leading royal experts. Never miss an issue – receive your magazine before it appears on newsstands.
Print subscription benefits
  • Save money by subscribing
  • 13 magazines for the price of 12
    for NEW subscriptions
  • Keep your printed collection forever
  • A multiple-year subscription protects you
    from possible cover price increases
Digital subscription benefits
  • Save even more with a digital subscription
  • Available on Google Play, Apple App Store
    & Amazon Kindle Fire
  • Access to all your editions wherever
    you go, on your digital device
  • Choose single, monthly or annual subscriptions
Protect your collection with our stunning binders.
Keep your collection in pristine condition with these stylish blue leather-look binders. Each holds 12 issues of Majesty Magazine.
Get Binders
Complete your collection from our back issue store.
You can buy current and back issues from our sister company, CALM Productions. Complete your set today.
Get Back Issues
Timeless collectables & royal merchandise
You can now buy merchandise and royal collectables from our sister company, CALM Productions. See our full range of products.
MERCHANDISE SHOP
Sign up for our newsletter and receive extra articles, pictures and promotions. Enter your email below.
You can easily unsubscribe at any time. Click here for our privacy policy.