The Listies 2021
Who are the royal winners of the year?
In our final newsletter of 2021, we bring you our annual awards round-up. Yes, it’s time for The Listies, where we pick the Windsor winners of the year. So without further ado, here’s our top 10…
Best royal Bond girl ever: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. She absolutely stole the show and the headlines at the premiere of No Time To Die in September, in her gold Jenny Packham dress. Sometimes, you’ve got to bling your A-game.
Most dramatic royal birth: Zara Tindall. Could we love Zara any more? She delivered third baby Lucas in March Olympian-style, on her bathroom floor. “It was running to the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, get the mat on the floor, towels down, brace, brace, brace,” said husband Mike.
Ingenious use of a LandRover: Prince Philip. There wasn’t a dry eye in the world as we watched Prince Philip’s ingenious self-designed LandRover hearse conduct his coffin to St George’s Chapel at his funeral in April. Never forgotten.
Lifetime achievement award: The Queen. Losing Philip and suffering health scares herself made this one of her hardest years. But since coming out of mourning, her beaming smile at every public or online appearance proves she’s determined to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. Long may you reign, ma’am.
For services to planet Earth: Prince William. The eco-king donned a green velvet jacket and walked down a green carpet for his game-changing The Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in October. If only William and Sir David Attenborough ruled the world…
Most impressive snooze recovery: Prince Charles. We said he should win an award - so we’ve given him one, after the Prince of Wales dropped off and then executed the perfect pretend-pamphlet-reading manoeuvre in Barbados last month.
Best career pivot: Fergie. Proving she really is a romantic at heart, not only is Sarah Ferguson standing by Andrew, she penned a Mills & Boon book - and talked to Kerry about it here.
For services to the opening of an envelope: Princess Anne. Who says being a royal is all glamour? The hard-working Princess Royal does every job with pleasure, including when they are literally rubbish - i.e. visiting Cambridgeshire waste and recycling crews, in March.
Cutest football mascot: Prince George. From grins to grim-faced, how adorable was the besuited prince’s expressions as he lived every moment at the Euro 2020 final in July. As any England fan will tell him, he’ll get used to it.
Best menopause influencer: Sophie Wessex. She is the poster girl for every midlife woman. Fact. And her hubby Edward has blossomed alongside this wonder woman.
The Queen’s heartbreak at Christmas
The first milestones are always the hardest for those grieving and the festive season proves bittersweet. The Queen will feel it keenly this year as she celebrates her first Christmas without Prince Philip by her side, in 73 years (apart from his absence in 1956 due to a voyage around the Commonwealth). Kerry wrote a piece on it for The Sunday Telegraph this week. Here’s an extract:
Every royal Christmas tradition will be laced with sorrow – from the comedy presents, such as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge once giving Prince Harry a Grow Your Own Girlfriend kit and Princess Anne gifting Prince Charles a leather loo seat, to charades and the empty place at the head of the table.
“Being the first Christmas for the Queen without Prince Philip, she is likely to feel the emptiness of his absence. It is a tough time for anyone who has recently lost their partner,” says relationship expert Dr Karen Phillip. “The Queen will possibly feel a mixture of emotions this Christmas period - she is likely to embrace every occasion and also plan the succession of her sovereignty,” she says.
We expect The Queen’s Christmas speech to be a sombre one, reflecting on some of Her Majesty’s personal turmoil, but also full of life, as 2021 brought much happiness in the shape of four great-grandchildren, August Brooksbank, Lucas Tindall, Lili Mountbatten-Windsor and Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, bringing her tally to 12.
“As so many of you will know, the arrival of a baby gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope,” the Queen said in her Christmas speech in 2013. We sincerely hope so.
Wills has the Monopoly
Prince William revealed one of his family’s Christmas traditions this week, when he let slip the Cambridges enjoy a good game of Monopoly. “We love Monopoly, that’s good. And Risk. That’s a good game – it goes on for hours and usually everyone gets very cross because they lose,” he told hospital radio at The Royal Marsden.
He didn’t mention which version they use, but we’d like to think they play the royal one - the HM Queen Elizabeth II Monopoly is £29.99 from poppyshop.org.uk
See you in 2022
And that’s a wrap for this year. Thank you for your support over the past 12 months, we really appreciate it. We are taking a break and will be back on January 9. Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year, from Kerry and Maria.