Royal diary 2020: see the exciting events the Queen and her family can look forward to

All the highlights from the royal calendar

January 7, 2020Jan 7, 2020, 9:32 AM GMT

This year will be one of public and private celebrations for the royal family. Top of the agenda is the three-day celebration across the UK to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, with a packed programme featuring street parties, flypasts and buglers playing from the top of the UK’s four highest peaks – Slieve Donard, Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike – to mark the end in Europe of the Second World War.

The Queen, no doubt, will relive fond memories of what she calls "one of the most memorable nights of my life", when she and her sister Princess Margaret left Buckingham Palace and celebrated with the crowds after the end of hostilities was declared on 8 May 1945.

The Prince of Wales will also be remembering a happy day – he and the Duchess of Cornwall mark their 15th wedding anniversary in April. Meanwhile, there will be a big birthday bash when the Princess Royal turns 70 in August, with the Queen honouring her daughter’s tireless service to the crown.

With the spectre of the Jeffrey Epstein affair still looming large, the Duke of York’s 60th birthday next month is likely to be a more low-key affair. However, Prince Andrew is expected to carry out an important role this year – he’ll be father of the bride when his elder daughter Princess Beatrice marries businessman Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The wedding may be a more modest occasion than that of his younger daughter Princess Eugenie, who married at Windsor Castle in October 2018.

Here, HELLO! looks ahead to some of the significant royal events due to take place in 2020...

WATCH: Go behind the scenes at HELLO! as we reveal the royal highlights of 2019

The Duchess of Cambridge’s birthday – 9 January

Kate turns 38 at the start of another big year for her and her family, including her brother James Middleton's wedding to Alizée Thévenet.

The Countess of Wessex's birthday – 20 January

Sophie will celebrate her 55th birthday with her husband the Earl and their children Lady Louise Windsor, 16, and Viscount Severn, 12.

Bafta Film Awards – 2 February

As president of Bafta, the Duke of Cambridge is expected to be at the star-studded evening next month. Royal watchers will be hoping Kate will be by Prince William’s side once more – she has attended every year since 2017.

Easter Sunday – 12 April

Every year the royal family gather in Windsor to mark Easter at St George’s Chapel.

The Queen’s birthday – 21 April

In a year that sees her mark 68 years as monarch, the Queen will celebrate her 94th birthday in her usual quiet fashion – although traditional artillery salutes will make enough noise instead.

Prince Louis's birthday – 23 April

Two days after his great-grandmother's birthday, William and Kate's youngest child turns two...

Princess Charlotte's birthday – 2 May

... and his big sister Charlotte has her own celebration for her fifth birthday soon after...

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor's birthday – 6 May

... while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son turns one the following week.

VE Day 75 – 8-10 May

Beginning 75 years to the day after the guns fell silent at the end of fighting in Europe, the Queen and senior members of her family will be at the forefront in the UK as three days of events across the world commemorate the historic moment. Her Majesty will lead members of the armed forces and the tens of thousands of people taking part in a host of activities over a special bank holiday weekend (the Spring Bank Holiday has been moved from Monday to Friday 8 May to mark VE Day), from services of commemoration to thousands of pipers playing Battle's O’er. Events include pubs across the UK asking their customers to raise a glass at 3pm on 8 May, while bells in cathedrals, churches and other locations will sound at 7pm in a joyful Ringing Out For Peace.

Invictus Games – 9-16 May

Prince Harry will once again be centre stage when the Invictus Games, which he established, takes place at The Hague, The Netherlands. The event has a special place in his heart - as it is where he first stepped out with Meghan when the event was held in Toronto in 2017.

Royal Windsor Horse Show – 13-17 May

Featuring a generous helping of international showjumping, dressage, driving and endurance displays, the show is one of the Queen’s favourite events of the year and she’s often accompanied by members of her family. Last year saw Harry by her side – the new dad stepping out a few days after the birth of Archie – as well as her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, who regularly competed in the event’s International Driving Grand Prix. The Queen herself won the Pony and Dogcart class at the first show in 1943 and is said not to have missed a year since.

Polo Season – May-September

William and Harry grew up playing this high-octane sport and the Queen has been a regular at polo games since the 1950s. This year’s must-see will be the Cartier Queen's Cup Tournament at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park, which takes place from 19 May to 14 June. The younger generation is also taking to the sport – last year, Meghan took baby Archie on his first outing to cheer on his dad as he went head to head with William in a charity game at Billingbear Polo Club in Wokingham. Kate, meanwhile, had her hands full chasing after toddler Louis and his siblings George and Charlotte.

Euro 2020 – 12 June - 12 July

As president of the Football Association, the Duke of Cambridge will have a visible role at the European Championships, especially as the final will take place at Wembley Stadium in London. England and Wales have already qualified, while Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are in March’s play-offs. Matches will be taking place across Europe, with some in London, Glasgow and Dublin. Don't be surprised to see William cheering on the players along with children George and Charlotte, who were both spotted in the crowd with their father supporting Aston Villa against Norwich City last year.

Trooping the Colour – 13 June

The Queen’s annual birthday parade always has a good royal turn-out, with Prince Louis making his debut last June. Royal fans were also delighted to see Meghan return to the spotlight a few weeks after she’d given birth to Archie. A colourful display of military pageantry, the parade features more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians, and is followed by an RAF flypast that the family traditionally gathers to watch from the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Royal Ascot – 16-20 June

Seldom happier than when in the company of her beloved horses, the Queen is in her element watching the racing at Ascot. Last year she was seen laughing and smiling broadly as she awarded jockey Frankie Dettori with the Gold Cup. Always a wonderful opportunity to see the royal family out and about in all their finery, Ascot’s greatest moment is undoubtedly Ladies' Day, which this year takes place on 18 June.

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2020 – 22-27 June

Two years after he was endorsed as the next head of the Commonwealth, Prince Charles will represent the Queen at the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, Rwanda. He is likely to be joined by other members of the royal family for the six-day gathering of Commonwealth leaders.

The Championships, Wimbledon – 29 June-12 July

A long-time tennis fan and patron of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Kate is a regular spectator in the royal box, last year attending games including the ladies' singles final, when she was joined by her sister-in-law Meghan and her sister Pippa Middleton. Her son Prince George is a keen player who last year had a knockabout with his hero Roger Federer. The Swiss player visited the Middletons' family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, to coach the youngster, saying his technique was "already good". Roger also attended the wedding of Pippa to James Matthews in May 2017.

Prince George's birthday – 22 July

The spotlight falls on the Cambridges' eldest child as he celebrates his seventh birthday. After holding a football-themed party for his big day last year and with the Euros still very much in mind, the beautiful game will surely feature in the fun again.

Tokyo 2020: Olympic Games and Paralympic Games – July-September

As an Olympian and president of the British Olympic Association, Princess Anne is likely to attend this year's Games, which take place 24 July-9 August; she attended the Rio de Janeiro event in 2016. There may be a family connection for Anne, too. Her daughter Zara Tindall, who won a silver at the 2012 London Olympics as part of the British Equestrian team, hasn't ruled out competing in Tokyo, though she said recently that it depended on her horse: "Whether he's going to be quite ready to go to the next Olympics, I’m not sure." Meanwhile, Prince Edward, royal patron of the British Paralympic Association, will be in Japan a few weeks later to cheer on Team GB in the Paralympics, which run 25 August to 6 September.

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