CTVNews.ca looks at a very busy year for the entire Royal Family, as three younger generations took on more of the workload -- and the spotlight -- from Queen Elizabeth.
This year saw the Queen welcome the birth of her fourth great-grandchild, exchange gifts with the Pope, and even send out her first tweet. In April, she made a rare trip across the English Channel to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy.
Most of the year, however, the aging monarch stayed closer to home. In June, she publicly celebrated her 88th birthday with a parade in central London.
While the Queen remained in the U.K., other members of the Royal Family represented the British monarchy on official trips around the world.
In May, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla came to Canada for a four-day tour of communities in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and a stop in Winnipeg. In the fall, the couple made their first official visit to South America.
Prince William and his wife, Kate the Duchess of Cambridge, travelled to New Zealand with their son, Prince George, in April. On the young prince鈥檚 first official overseas trip, he participated in his first royal engagement: a crawl-about at a New Zealand playgroup.
The prince, who is third in line for the throne, turned one in July.
In September, officials confirmed that Kate was again pregnant. Morning sickness kept the Duchess from travelling to Malta that month, but she returned to the public eye at the end of November. The royal couple鈥檚 second child is expected in April 2015.
Meanwhile, Prince William鈥檚 brother, Prince Harry, turned 30 in 2014. The prince spent much of his year focused on charity efforts. He organized the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded soldiers, in September.
Highlights from the family鈥檚 year:
Jan. 17: Queen Elizabeth鈥檚 granddaughter, Zara Phillips, gave birth to a baby girl, Mia Grace Tindall. The child is the Queen鈥檚 fourth great-grandchild and sixteenth in line for the throne.
Jan. 27: A report on the Queen鈥檚 finances revealed a dwindling fortune and maintenance problems in the family鈥檚 aging palaces.
Feb. 2: Prince William and Prince Harry joined soldiers in placing sandbags along the Thames in an effort to protect homes from flooding.
April 3: The Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, met and exchanged gifts with Pope Francis.
April 7 - 25: Prince William, Kate the Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince George, travelled to New Zealand. The trip was Prince George鈥檚 first official trip outside of the U.K.
May 18: Prince Charles and Camilla arrived in Halifax for a four-day Canadian tour.
June 6: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles visited France for a three-day state visit on the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
June 14: Queen Elizabeth publicly celebrated her 88th birthday. Though her real birthday was in April, the official celebration took place in June.
July 22: Prince George celebrated his first birthday.
Sept. 8: Officials confirmed that Prince William and Kate are expecting their second child
Oct. 24: Queen Elizabeth sent out her first tweet from central London鈥檚 Science Museum. She signed the message 鈥淓lizabeth R.鈥�
Dec. 7: Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, travelled to New York on their first official visit to the city.
Even though the younger generation took much of the spotlight, this was our favourite royal photo of the year, and one of the most viewed. On a visit to the throne room on the set of the Game of Thrones TV series in Belfast Northern Ireland, on June, 24, 2014. (AP / Peter Morrison)
