Five royal events to look forward to in 2024, from royal tours to milestone birthdays

The Royal Family almost never have a day off, and while 2023 may have only just finished the royal calendar will already be scheduled for 2024.

King Charles and the rest of the family will doubtless have plenty of visits and engagements planned, although often details are kept under wraps until the last minute due to security concerns.

The family can already start preparing for certain celebrations though, including some milestone birthdays for some of the King’s closest family members.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle too will likely be making plans for the year ahead, even though it still remains to be seen how closely they will be linked with the royals.

Here Express.co.uk takes a look ahead to five of the biggest events the family will be looking forward to in 2024.

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Prince Edward will be celebrating his 60th birthday on March 10, and although not much is known about how he will celebrating the big day he is likely to be spending the day with his family.

Edward and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, are based in Bagshot Park in Surrey with their two children, Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex.

The last 60th birthday to be celebrated in the Royal Family was Prince Andrew’s in February 2020, which came just months after his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in which he attempted to defend his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

As a result his birthday party was a rather more intimate affair, with his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie seen driving to Royal Lodge for a private family lunch.

Last week the news broke that King Charles and Queen Camilla would be travelling to Canada next May, for their first visit to a British realm since becoming monarchs.

The King and Queen have previously faced criticism too for taking several months to travel to the Commonwealth after succeeding to the throne, which they eventually did last October when they flew to Kenya.

Inside sources have revealed to the Daily Mirror’s royal editor Russell Myers that preliminary discussions have “raised concerns” about the monarchs facing republican protests upon their arrival in Canada.

However, a palace source said: “The King has always been very open that he will continue in his role as head of state across the British realms for as long as he is wanted.”

Every year the Royal Family mark the monarch’s official birthday with Trooping the Colour, a ceremonial parade which takes place in the centre of London.

June was selected to be the month when the current King or Queen celebrates their birthday due to the likelihood of it being better weather, especially important for King Charles whose actual birthday falls in November.

In 2023 the royals enjoyed perfect summery conditions as the whole family took in the proceedings and the beloved flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

While many traditions of the occasion will remain in place for 2024, royal watchers will no doubt be speculating on what stunning outfits the family will don on the balcony, as this year Princess Kate turned heads in an unusual bright green design.

Prince Harry may no longer be a working member of the Royal Family, but his 40th birthday on September 15 may provide an opportunity for reconciliation with his family.

Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the royals has been fraught ever since they made the decision to step down as working royals and relocate to California in 2020.

Some say the Duke is now keen to reconnect with his friends and family in the UK as he feels homesick, while his children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet grow up far away from their British grandparents and cousins.

Due to their status as non-working royals any celebration is likely to be a private affair, but given the warm phone call held between Harry and the King for the latter’s 75th birthday last month, it is likely the royals will mark the occasion in some way.

The next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will be held in Samoa on October 21, with the King and Queen scheduled to attend.

There has been speculation that the monarchs will likely combine this with a trip to Australia and New Zealand, which they have not visited since ascending to the throne.

An anonymous former diplomat told the Sydney Morning Herald: “King Charles is planning to visit Australia and New Zealand in October.”

Buckingham Palace have yet to officially confirm the trip, however a source from inside the Australian government said: “It would be next October.

“It’s very possible it will happen, it would be around the time of CHOGM that he would come, either before or after, that would make sense.”

The Royal Family traditionally celebrate Christmas at Sandringham, their estate in Norfolk, and there had been rumours that the Sussexes could join them in 2023.

Relations between the two warring families had been improving, however the publication of Omid Scobie’s book Endgame on November 28 quashed any chance of a reunion.

However, depending on how the situation develops in 2024, it is possible that Christmas could see Harry and Meghan make their return to Sandringham for the first time since 2018.