2024 in pictures: A look back at the biggest stories of the year
24 December 2024, 09:13
Take a look back at the biggest stories of 2024 - from the UK and US elections to royal health scares.
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King Charles and Princess Kate cancer diagnosis
At the beginning of the year, it was announced that both King Charles and Princess Kate were going to hospital for surgery.
The King sought treatment for an enlarged prostate while Kate was admitted to hospital for planned abdominal surgery.
It was then announced in early February that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Kate's cancer diagnosis was made public in March, after months of speculation about her whereabouts.
Her last public appearance had been at a Christmas service at the end of 2023.
Kate thanked the public for their "wonderful messages of support" and understanding during her recovery from abdominal surgery in January.
She said tests after her operation found cancer had been present, with her undergoing preventative chemotherapy.
The princess added that she had been keeping it private so she and William could take their time explaining what had happened to their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Post Office Horizon scandal
The Mr Bates vs The Post Office TV series at the start of the year once again brought the scandal into the spotlight, delving into some of those who were wronged.
Over 700 Post Office branch managers were given criminal convictions after the faulty Fujitsu accounting software, Horizon, made it look as if money was missing.
It has since been called the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history.
Ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells was formally stripped of her CBE by the King in February, following a petition calling for her to give it up voluntarily.
Willy Wonka experience
A 'shambolic' Willy Wonka-inspired event in Glasgow went viral in February after kids were left in tears over the nightmare event.
The £35-a-ticket experience promised a "chocolate fantasy like never before" and a day where "dreams come to life".
But it was instead a near-empty warehouse consisting of a tiny bouncy castle and a small lollipop.
It has since been turned into a musical and recreated in LA.
Trump trials
Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in his historic hush money trial.
He stood accused of concealing a hush-money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.
He labelled the trial "rigged" and "corrupt".
Earlier in the year, he was fined $364m as a judge ruled against him in a New York civil fraud case.
It was ruled that Trump and his sons had repeatedly inflated his net worth to secure better loan terms over a decade of business. Trump has appealed the ruling.
London mayoral election
The London mayoral elections were held at the start of May, with Sadiq Khan securing a historic third term after beating out Tory candidate Susan Hall.
Speaking at City Hall, Mr Khan said: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you London."
Missing Jay Slater
Jay Slater, 19, went missing in June after attending a weekend festival in Tenerife.
In the days that followed, local Guardia Civil police continued to scour Tenerife's rugged terrain, with sniffer dogs, off-road vehicles and helicopters brought in to track down the missing teenager.
The mystery behind Jay's disappearance sparked a huge interest online, with sleuths hunting for their own evidence of his whereabouts. However, there was little success.
Two weeks after police called off their search, human remains were found in the area near where he went missing.
Sunak announces election in rain
At the end of May, Rishi Sunak announced the General Election would be on July 4.
A drenched Sunak vowed that he would "never leave the people of this country to face the darkest of days alone".
He declared it "the moment for Britain to choose its future" and said the election will take place at time "when the world is more dangerous than it has been since the end of the Cold War".
Labour wins General Election
Keir Starmer declared "we did it" as Labour swept to power with a landslide majority in the General Election.
The party won a total of 412 seats compared to the Conservatives' total of 121.
England reach Euros finals
The Three Lions once again missed out on victory at the final hurdle, after a goal just four minutes from the final whistle secured victory for Spain.
England went into the game as underdogs against a Spanish side that had won all six of their games in the tournament.
But millions of fans were left devastated after the team just missed out for a second time - with all hopes of seeing England claim their first victory since the '66 World Cup gone.
Southport stabbings and riots
Three girls were killed in a stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport in July.
The victims were named as Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice Aguiar, nine.
Eight other children were hurt, five of whom were left in critical condition in hospital with two other adults also left in critical condition.
The "ferocious" attack sparked riots across the country, with police later admitting that they missed warning signs for this summer's mass unrest.
Paris Olympics 2024
Team GB brought home 65 medals at Paris 2024 - equalling the tally from London 2012.
Ellie Aldridge became the first Olympic gold medallist in kitesurfing, while Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe won Team GB's first ever Olympic medal in artistic swimming.
Toby Roberts also became the first medallist for Team GB in sport climbing.
Rachel Reeves' Budget
Rachel Reeves became the first woman to deliver a Budget in October. However, it didn't come without backlash.
Taxes were raised by £44billion in a bid to fill a "black hole" in public finances.
Included in that were changes to inheritance tax, which have already sparked several protests from farmers.
While there will continue to be no inheritance tax due on combined business and agricultural assets worth less than £1m, above that there would be a 50% relief, at an effective rate of 20%, from April 2026.
It came after the Chancellor said that national insurance, VAT or income tax will not increase for working people in the Budget.
Everything we learnt from the October Budget.
One Direction star Liam Payne dies
Liam Payne was found dead after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina.
He suffered "very serious injuries incompatible with life", including a fracture to the skull, authorities said.
Devastated fans gathered to remember the star, with vigils held around the world.
His former One Direction bandmates - Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan - came together at the end of the year for his funeral.
Trump attempted assassination
In the lead up to the US election, Donald Trump was the subject of several assassination attempts.
The first attempt on his life was at a campaign rally in July, which saw a bullet graze his ear.
Footage from the scene showed Trump dropping to the ground clutching his right ear after multiple bangs were heard ringing out.
Secret Service agents shot and killed the shooter seconds after he opened fire.
Trump wins US election
Trump became only the second person in history to win a non-consecutive second term in November.
He defeated Kamala Harris and at the age of 78 will become the oldest president ever inaugurated.
It came after he was victorious in the swing states of North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
Trump declared he had won a "magnificent victory for the American people".
Archbishop resigns
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned following criticism of his failure to prevent child abuse.
The independent Makin Review concluded that barrister John Smyth, who is thought to have been the most prolific abuser associated with the church, might have been brought to justice had the archbishop formally alerted authorities in 2013.
"It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024," he said in a statement.
He added: "I hope this decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church.
Fall of Assad regime
In December, Islamist rebels overthrew Assad's brutal regime, bringing an end to the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule.
President Assad fled Damascus by plane as rebels closed in, setting out for an unknown destination, the Russian foreign ministry and members of the Syrian national army confirmed.
It was later revealed that Assad was granted asylum in Moscow, where he and his family have been staying.
In the hours that followed his ousting, gunfire could be heard as rebels and citizens of the capital celebrated.
Storm Darragh
Rare red weather alerts were issued across parts of Wales and south-west England in December as 90mph winds and torrential rain hit.
Thousands of people were left without electricity for several days after power lines were brought down in the storm.
Several people were also killed after trees fell on their vehicles.
