Kate Middleton and Prince William’s 2024 Wrap-Up Features a Surprise Nod to Taylor Swift

Mar. 15, 2025

Prince William and Kate Middleton on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024.Photo:Getty Images

Getty Images

Kate MiddletonandPrince Williamhave chosen their favorite moments of 2024 — andTaylor Swiftmade the cut!

After a difficult year that saw both the Princess of Wales andKing Charlesreceive cancer diagnoses, William and Kate, both 42, were able to find bright spots in a year that William called “brutal” during a visit to Cape Town, South Africa in November in support of his Earthshot Prize Awards.

A Dec. 31 post from the couple on Instagram was captioned, “2024” with a green checkmark emoji beside it, along with the words, “Happy New Year! Wishing you all a wonderful 2025.” A star emoji rounded out the post.

The Prince and Princess of Wales/Youtube

Among other royal engagements undertaken this year, also chosen for the carousel are photos and a video from Prince William’sEarthshot Prize Awards in Cape Townin November; the Prince and Princess of Walesvisiting Southport, England on Oct. 10after a deadly knife attack that took place at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class there over the summer; many scenes from Kate’sTogether at Christmascarol concert, held at Westminster Abbey on Dec. 6; Trooping the Colour on June 15, which markedKate’s first public appearance of 2024up to that point after announcing her cancer diagnosis in March; Williamattending the re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedralin Paris on Dec. 7; and William, George and Charlotte meeting Swift when her Eras Tour stopped at Wembley Stadium in London over the summer. The photo chosen is one ofSwift taking a selfiewith the three members of the Wales family backstage at the arena, overlaid over a photo of Swift in full performance mode.

Kate Middleton hugging Liz Hatton at Windsor Castle on Oct. 2, 2024.Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace

Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace

Poignantly, the carousel closed with a photo of Kate hugging Liz Hatton, a photographer who William and Kate invited to take photos of an investiture at Windsor Castle on Oct. 2. Hatton, only 17, died on Nov. 27 after being diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumor, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, in January. Layered on top of Kate and Hatton is a photo of William, Kate, Hatton and her family taken the same day.

The roundup closed a year that Prince William called “dreadful” in a vulnerable Nov. 7 interview: “It’s probably been the hardest year in my life,” he said.

“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal,” he added.

Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales attend day four of Royal Ascot 2023 at Ascot Racecourse on June 23, 2023 in Ascot, England.Karwai Tang/WireImage

Karwai Tang/WireImage

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After publicly announcing her diagnosis on March 22, the aforementioned Sept. 9 video confirmed that the Princess of Wales had finished chemotherapy treatment. King Charles’ cancer treatment — which he announced publicly on Feb. 5 — will continue into the new year, but on Dec. 20 was confirmed to be headed in a“very positive direction.”

source: people.com