festive, no snow this particularly festive, no snow this christmas, but at least we have not had any storms, heavy rain or gales. it has been calm. goodbye. hello this is bbc news. the headlines: rescuers in indonesia say they're worried about disease spreading following the tsunami on saturday — which has killed more than 420 people. in her christmas message, the queen spoke of a busy year with weddings and babies — and said the christian message of peace on earth is needed as much as ever. i believe his message of peace on earth and goodwill to all is never out of date. it can be heeded by everyone. it's needed as much as ever. hundreds turned out to greet the royal family for their traditional church service at sandringham. in his christmas message, pope francis appeals for fraternity — between individuals, nations and religions — to help solve the conflicts of the world. british and french authorities have rescued a0 migrants trying to cross the english channel in separate incidents. stocks listed on asian

markets fall sharply — after wall street suffers its worst christmas eve performance. actor kevin spacey is charged with sexual assault in america and releases a video addressing allegations made against him. now on bbc news, from harry and meghan‘s wedding to prince charles' 70th birthday, daniela relph looks back at the royal year — in review 2018. cheering. a picturesque windsor wedding. for prince harry and meghan markle. as they became the duke

and duchess of sussex. cheered on by thousands during their carriage procession through the town. band plays. the queen had a president to tea as she kept up a busy schedule at the age of 92. please can i ask you tojoin me in wishing the prince of wales a very happy birthday? for the prince of wales, a milestone birthday. a seventieth for an heir to the throne who has waited longer than any other. and there was a new grandchild for charles in his big birthday year. prince louis of cambridge, fifth in line to the throne.

back in february she was stilljust meghan markle but was settling into life with her new royal family. this was her first official engagement alongside her husband—to—be and future brother—and—sister—in—law. and the newcomer did not hold back, describing the issues that matter to her. you often hear people say you're helping women find their voices and i fundamentally disagree with that because women don't need to find their voice, they have a voice, they need to feel empowered to use it and people need to be encouraged to listen, and i think right now in the climate we are seeing, with so many campaigns, metoo, time's up, there's no better time than to really continue to shine a light on women feeling empowered and people really helping to support them. men included in that.

it is a family enterprise and they all recognise that at times that can be tricky. working as family does have its challengers, of course it does. the fact that everyone is laughing, means everyone ki'iows exactly what this is like! but you know, we are stuck together for the rest of our lives. this is true, togetherness. togetherness. meghan markle said she wanted to hit the ground running, and get to know the uk ahead of her wedding. and that's exactly what she did. in scotland, meghan nervously met a shetland pony at edinburgh castle. in wales they even met another harry and meghan. these two were six and nine years old and with a gift of welsh love spoons. in northern ireland there was a visit to one of belfast‘s most well—known pubs for lunch and a guinness.

the climate wasn't exactly californian, it did, though, give meghan a flavour of the country that was now home. but it was windsor that would play the most significant role, the american bride was about to get her perfect british wedding and it was here, at st george's chapel, that meghan markle would officially make the move from actress to aristocracy. the night before the big day the groom and his best man came out to meet the crowds in windsor. many had camped out for several days. and there was also the odd familiar face in the crowd. harry!

it was a quieter evening for the bride and her mother. reporter: good evening, miss markle, how are you feeling tonight? in the peace of the berkshire countryside they spent the night before the wedding at a hotel a few miles from windsor. st george's chapel was transformed. ready for an event that would make it the centre of global attention. the british weather was at its best. it would be hard to find a more picturesque setting. by royal standards this was a glitzy group of wedding guests. the clooneys and the beckhams amongst the most well—known faces. the cast of suits was also invited. the tv show that the bride had worked on for several years. inside the chapel oprah winfrey and idris elba were there with charity workers, friends of harry and meghan, and the royal family.

royal trumpeters play. but it was the bride that everyone wanted to see. cheering. with all the guests in place meghan markle was driven through the grounds of the castle to the chapel. bells ring. at midday she emerged into the windsor sunshine, her dress a secret until now. by british designer claire waight keller for the french fashion house givenchy. sewn into the veil, the flowers from each country of the commonwealth.

the minute the bride walked into the chapel was enough to make a pageboy gasp. choirboy sings. at first, she walked alone, accompanied by her pageboys and bridesmaids including prince george and princess charlotte. and then, at the halfway point, she was joined by prince charles, taking on the role after her father was unable to attend. for meghan's mother, it must have been an overwhelming experience. doria ragland was the only member of the bride's family at the wedding. as she reached the altar,

harry told his bride, "you look amazing." and as the wedding ceremony began, he lifted her veil. this was a royal wedding that veered from the traditional. there was a gospel choir. # darling, stand by me. # stand by me.# and perhaps, one of the most memorable moments, the preaching of american bishop michael curry. love is not selfish and self—ce ntred, love can be sacrificial. and in so doing, becomes redemptive. a royal wedding had never seen

or heard anything quite like it. the prince of wales took the mother of the bride's hand as they left to sign the register, a gesture that said, welcome to the family. cellist 19—year—old sheku kanneh—mason gave the biggest performance of his career. they had arrived as meghan markle and prince harry. they left as the duke and duchess of sussex. a title given to them on their wedding day by the queen. cheering.

as the new duke and duchess emerged from st george's chapel there was the kiss. cheering. # amen.# they said they wanted to share their wedding with the public. the carriage procession through windsor was part of that plan. thousands lined the long walk. it looked as if they had got the wedding day wished for. i feel as though i'm in a dream.

it's been unforgettable. it's been absolutely exhilarating. i'm a guy, so i couldn't comment on the dress but she looked stunning when she went past. it was amazing to see all the famous people arriving and leaving. took a selfie with david beckham and it wasjust like a really special memory. the final chapter of the wedding day, the evening reception. the couple left in an e type jag for a private party that was rumoured to include a speech by the bride and a dance off amongst members of the royal family. just weeks after the wedding there was another american visitor here causing a stir. president trump came to have tea with the queen. he brought with him all the trappings of the us presidency, the queen had, of course, seen it all before. he was the 12th american president she had met during her reign. it wasn't a full state visit but there was

plenty of pomp to please the president and the first lady. american national anthem. as well as a show from the military band, the president inspected a guard of honour. he described the tea as going "fantastically well". and he said that he and the queen had "good chemistry". and there were signs of good chemistry elsewhere. in february the queen took up a prized front row seat during london fashion week. alongside vogue editor in chief anna wintour whose glasses didn't come off, even for the queen. the pair watched a show of richard quinn

who was the winner of the first—ever queen elizabeth ii award for british design. but although she still has a busy schedule, here, leading the centenary celebrations of the royal air force injuly, she travels far less around the uk... and no longer does trips overseas. but in april, the world came to her. as she welcomed commonwealth leaders to the uk for the heads of government meeting. addressing the leaders she looked ahead to a time beyond her reign and made it clear that she wanted her son to succeed her as head of the commonwealth. it is my sincere wish that the commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations and will decide that one day, the prince of wales should carry on the important work started

by my father in 1919. it was a decision supported by commonwealth leaders, in a year when there were further subtle signs of the queen handing duties over to other members of the family. big ben chimes. once again, on remembrance sunday, 100 years since the end of the first world war, the queen watched events from a balcony nearby. the last post. the prince of wales laid

a wreath of poppies on her behalf at the cenotaph. the focus of remembrance. in the evening at westminster abbey the queen stood alongside the president of germany. as their wreaths were laid on the tomb of the unknown soldier. to include germany in this way during remembrance was an historic act of reconciliation. there was also a rare nod this year to the hereditary destiny of the prince of wales.

he will, one day, be king and as he celebrated his 70th birthday in november he gave a sense of how he would reign. just days after watching his youngest son get married, the prince of wales hosted a garden party at buckingham palace to mark his 70th birthday. 6000 people attended, representing his charities, patronages and military affiliations. but on a personal level it was also a chance for a son to pay tribute to his father. please can i ask you to join me in wishing the prince of wales a very happy birthday, six months ahead of his 70th, how very royal! his birthday saw the release of some new family photographs. one, a relaxed but traditional portrait of the prince with his wife, sons and their families. and then, a more informal picture, again in the gardens of clarence house, that leaves you wondering what they were

all laughing at. just before his birthday, the prince and duchess of cornwall toured west africa. visiting nigeria, ghana and the gambia. as ever, with royal overseas tours, it was about strengthening ties with the uk. in his 70th year, prince charles has continued to speak out on the issues he cares most deeply about. but in an interview with the bbc to mark his birthday, he clarified that as king, he won't campaign in the same way. i'm not that stupid. i do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign. as charles takes on more high—profile duties, his father continued his step back from public life. here, just a fleeting view of the duke of edinburgh leaving hospital back in april after a hip replacement at the age of 96. the duke recovered

well enough to see two of his grandchildren married this year, after harry and meghan came eugenie and jack. in october princess eugenie married her long—term partner jack brooksbank. the daughter of prince andrew and sarah, duchess of york, also chose st george's chapel in windsor for her wedding ceremony. the couple then had a short carriage procession through the town before heading back to the castle to party with their 800 wedding guests. the duke of cambridge has found himself taking on more significant royal duties this year. his trip to israel and the palestinian territories was the first official royal visit to the region. for william, it was his most diplomatically

delicate tour to date. he used the visit to share his hope that conflict in the area will end. never has hope and reconciliation been more needed. i know i share a desire with all of you and with your neighbours for a just and lasting peace. back home, the duke and the duchess of cambridge had a new addition to the family to celebrate. prince louis was born in april, their third child. his first public appearance came just hours after his birth. as with princess charlotte, the duchess had her baby and left hospital all on the same day. earlier, louis had his first visitors. his big brother and sister came to the hospital with dad. george, looking a little shy in front of the cameras. charlotte though

showed no such reticence with a wave as she went in to meet her baby brother. the family will base themselves here at kensington palace. but in the new year they will say goodbye to their neighbours, the duke and duchess of sussex. harry and meghan will leave london to set up home at frogmore cottage in windsor with their own baby due in the spring. it is an important moment for william and harry who have lived close to one another here and shared a household and royal duties for so long. although they along with catherine and meghan will continue to work on certain projects together, it is a departure and a sign that both couples have their own interests to pursue. i've put marshmallow on mine, is that a goodidea? events with military families are likely to be supported by both the cambridges' and the sussexs' and kensington palace was turned into a winter wonderland to do just that. the duke and duchess of cambridge

hosted a party for families of military personnel serving in cyprus over the holidays. with a bit of christmas baking and a chance to hear the family stories. for the duchess, the experience of many here was one she could share. as someone whose husband has served i know how hard it feels when a loved one leaves home to do the job they have trained for. when william served in the falklands or for search and rescue, i remember how it felt. but i can't imagine how it feels when your loved ones are away on active service over christmas or at those special family moments. the absence of people you love must be especially hard at this time of year. for the duke of cambridge there was a surprise visit to a west london school with the rapper professor green. it was all part of the royal foundation's ongoing work around mental health and in particular, cyber bullying. it was a chance to listen and to talk to

the teenagers and hear their online concerns. if you're outside here, mucking around, playing, doing whatever you're doing, and one of your mates gets picked on, someone says something nasty to them, you are going to be there to support, but if it's happening on a screen and you can't see what's going on, it's one person very isolated on their own. the coming months will give us a sense of what kind of working royal meghan wants to be. here she took her mother and husband to the launch of a cookbook, the proceeds of which will help those affected by the grenfell tower fire. the duchess was the driving force behind the publication alongside the local community. working on this project for the past nine months has been a tremendous labour of love, i had just recently moved to london and i felt so immediately embraced by the women in the kitchen. your warmth and your kindness and also to be able to be in this city and see in this one small room, how multicultural it was, on a personal level i feel so proud to live

in a city that can have so much diversity. there's 12 countries represented in this one group of women. it's pretty outstanding. in the autumn harry and meghan began their first overseas tour to australia, new zealand, tonga and fiji. for harry, it was a chance to support the invictus games being held in sydney, the event for injured servicemen and women, he built. and for meghan, her engagement strongly hinted at where she would focus much of her royal work. the education and empowerment of young women appears high on her agenda. here, she spoke at a university in fiji. when girls are given the right tools to succeed they can create incredible futures, not only for themselves but for all of those around them. and while progress has been made in many areas across the commonwealth, there is always scope to offer more opportunities to the next generation of young adults and specifically, to young women. harry and meghan, their wedding, the family

dynamic and the news of their own baby due in the spring has dominated 2018. it's likely to be a similar story next year. as this growing royal family adjusts to its new arrivals. we are ending christmas day on a mild note across the country but actually in scotland this morning it was very cold, minus eight degrees. the call to start christmas day in eight years. boxing day is looking mild. there will be some sunshine around but not in offer what. that have a look at the podcast. here is the cloud across western parts of the cloud across western parts of the british isles. wind is coming from the south as such it is very

mild year. double figures right now and no real roster come tonight, evenin and no real roster come tonight, even in northern parts of scotland temperatures will be mostly above reasoning. after a snowy start christmas and equalled 12 some milderair is christmas and equalled 12 some milder air is starting to reach other parts of europe. right now, a lot of cloud across the uk but we have had some clear skies here and there are. wager any night we are expecting the weather front to approach western parts of scotland soap freshening winds and mild conditions with the reins on and off, but the hebrides for example, 10 degrees here. but the rest of the country... a mild night. on boxing day itself, best bet for sunshine, the south coast of east of the pennines, around merseyside, anywhere can see a of brightness really. most of the time the skies will be fairly overcast and mild weather on the north of the country.

on thursday high pressure is in charge of the weather across the uk and much of western europe all the way down to the south that means the weather isn't changing much during the course of thursday. that savvy look at the forecast for thursday itself. temperatures getting up to around 10 degrees, some sunny spells developing. i think on thursday we will see more sunshine across the uk. it is going to be a much brighter day compared to what we have had in the last three days. where we are slowly approaching the lead up to the new year so very little change on the weather front. high pressure is that to dominate the weather across the whole of western europe, not just the weather across the whole of western europe, notjust for the rest of the week and into the weekend but also as we edged towards the end of the year. eric white on the end of the year. eric white on the waterfront, the good news is we can not see any big storms or gales on the way. let us enjoy the subtle

speu on the way. let us enjoy the subtle spell of weather last. this is bbc news i'm shaun ley. the headlines at five. rescuers in indonesia say they're worried about disease spreading following the tsunami on saturday, which has killed more than 420 people. in her christmas message, the queen spoke of a busy year with weddings and babies, and said the christian message of peace on earth is needed as much as ever. i believe his message of peace on earth and goodwill to all is never out of date. it can be heeded everyone. it's needed as much as ever. hundreds turned out to greet the royal family for their traditional church service at sandringham. british and french authorities have rescued a0 migrants trying to cross the english channel in separate incidents president trump says the partial us government shutdown will go on, until his demand for funds to build a mexican border wall is met.