Top 10 Darkest Royal Family Moments

King George VI was crowned in 1936 and ruled until 1952, when he perished due to prolonged cancer. His death signified the end of an era, and a new one began when his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, was thrust into the throne unexpectedly at a young age. After years of health issues, like lung cancer which was worsened by his smoking habit, it was generally regarded as a peaceful passing. So it wasn’t a shocking death; however, he had become a widely adored leader during WWII, and Elizabeth’s coronation was a deeply emotional and somber moment for the Royal Family.

Megxit was a seismic moment in royal history, referring to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision in 2020 to step down from their roles within the Royal Family. It exposed deep fractures in the family, and brought a plethora of issues into the public eye. The couple spoke openly about the impact being a royal had on their mental health, with Meghan revealing she often grappled with depression and even experienced thoughts concerning tracking her own life while a royal. She sought help, but it was refused because they believed it would reflect poorly on the family. Additionally, she was the victim of harsh criticism, which was often racist and sexist, causing widespread controversy.

1992 was an exceptionally poor year for the Royal Family and was so bad Queen Elizabeth II called it an “annus horribilis,” Latin for “horrible year.” 1992 saw the breakdown of three royal marriages: Prince Charles and Diana’s separation, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s separation, and Anne’s divorce from Mark Phillips. Ferguson was involved in a scandal where photos were published of her toe being sucked by an American businessman. Windsor Castle, one of the Queen’s favorite residences, set on fire, destroying huge parts of the building and priceless art pieces. At the end of the year, she made a monumental speech calling it her “horrible year,” a rare moment of openness for a usually reserved monarch.

Edward VIII was crowned king in 1936, but abdicated the same year to marry Wallis Simpson, controversial because she was both divorced and American. This was unprecedented for a monarch, and created significant political and social turmoil at the time. The 1930s had a large stigma towards divorce, so marrying a woman twice divorced was a major scandal. In the end, Edward chose love over duty, which was viewed as selfish by many. After abdicating, he was given the title Duke of Windsor, and spent the rest of his days in exile. His brother, George VI, was completely shocked to become king, but thankfully became a much-loved figure once ascending.

The Crown Jewels are kept in the Tower of London today, and many were acquired via exploitative colonial practices. These royal treasures were often taken using violence, coercion, and exploitation of colonial nations. The famous Koh-i-Noor diamond was stolen from India during the British Raj, after the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, when Britain annexed the Punjab region. Other jewels were obtained using similar means, and now their ownership has come under increasing scrutiny. They serve as a reminder that the wealth of the royal family came at the expense of many other nations and peoples. The royal family’s reluctance to return these jewels reveals the dark deeds of British colonialism can still be felt today.

Diana died tragically in a car crash in Paris, 1997 after a high-speed chase from paparazzi. Millions mourned her death, causing an outpouring of grief worldwide. The Kensington Palace was flooded with flowers and tributes, and more than 2.5 billion people watched her funeral. Significant criticism of the royal family followed, since the public believed the monarchy failed to support Diana during her struggles. This includes her tumultuous marriage to Charles, which was full of unhappiness and infidelity. Many blamed the paparazzi and media culture for her passing, fueling discussion about privacy and media ethics. Her death prompted the family to try appearing more in touch with the public.

The family regularly comes under scrutiny for racism, with Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey being one of the most prominent examples. She revealed there were “concerns and conversations” about the skin color of their son Archie before he was even born. In 2006, a video was released of her husband Harry using a derogatory slur for people from Pakistan. In 2005, he also wore a Nazi costume to a party. Another example is Princess Michael of Kent, who wore an offensive blackamoor brooch in 2017. You would think with such their colonial past, the family would be more sensitive about these issues, but often they are not.

On March 20th, 1974, Princess Anne was returning from a charity event. While on her way home, Ian Ball confronted her and attempted to abduct her at gunpoint. This was a particularly violent kidnapping attempt: shots were fired, causing injuries to several individuals. Ball was mentally unstable and believed he could ransom the princess for a significant sum. Despite the danger, Anne was courageous and refused to comply with her attacker’s demands. Ultimately he was apprehended and the attempt was thwarted, but he was later deemed unfit to stand trial. Instead, he was placed in psychiatric care for 41 years, and still resides in the hospital today.

Prince Andrew is famous for what many see as his entitled, unpleasant, and downright disgraceful personality. He’s also known for his shady connections, such as the son of infamous human rights abuser and dictator Muammar Gaddafi. However, he’s most well known for his history with Jeffrey Epstein, the globally infamous abuser of underage individuals. Andrew has been accused of having inappropriate relations with Virginia Giuffre when she was only 17 years old. He denied these allegations, and he’s since stepped back from royal duties. The public now has a largely negative opinion of the man, especially after his disastrous interview in 2019 where he poorly attempted to explain his friendship with Epstein.

The Marburg Files were documents seized by the allies in 1945, detailing Operation Wili, a plot to persuade Edward VIII to join the Nazis, to convince the UK to enter into peace negotiations. They tried convincing Edward that the King and Churchill were planning to assassinate him, opening him up to the idea of staging a Nazi kidnapping and blackmailing the UK into admitting defeat. The worst part is that Edward encouraged the Nazi bombing of the UK, and thought it would encourage peace between the nations. We don’t know if he accepted, but we know he had Nazi sympathies. Prince Philip was speculated to have had similar feelings, with three of his sisters marrying Nazi aristocrats.

What do you think is the darkest moment in Royal Family history? Leave a comment letting us know!