From royal splits to PR crises But the pandemic gave her renewed

 2020 was a tumultuous year for most people, and that's no less true for Queen Elizabeth II.

Britain's monarch has long occupied two roles -- one as the head of the state and nation, the other as the head of her own family -- and over the past 12 months she has been forced to confront crises on both fronts.

Here's a look back at one of the Queen's most challenging years to date.

A rocky start

The new year was barely underway when Prince Harry and his wife Meghan announced to the world -- and the rest of the family -- they were quitting their roles as senior royals.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a bombshell statement on their official Instagram account on January 8 they hoped to continue supporting the monarch but wanted to seek financial autonomy. The pair credited the Queen with providing the encouragement "particularly over the last few years" that led them to make such a dramatic announcement.

But CNN understands conversations over the couple's future were already underway and the Queen was "disappointed" that her grandson had opted to reveal as much publicly. The monarch had explicitly told Harry to continue negotiations privately and was said to been left "upset."

But royal roles are in the gift of the monarch, and the Sussexes' "half-in, half-out" model wasn't seen as workable. The Queen was left in the uncomfortable predicament of trying to give her beloved grandson what he wanted without compromising the institution. It was perhaps the most delicate moment for the British monarchy since the aftermath of Diana's death in 1997.

The situation culminated in a crisis summit at her Sandringham residence where she was joined by the heir to the throne Prince Charles, his elder son Prince William and Harry. In a statement after the meeting, the Queen said Harry, Meghan and their son Archie would "always be much loved members of my family."

"I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life," she said. "I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family."

The terms of the split stipulated that while the pair would always remain part of the family, they would no longer use their HRH titles; they would receive financial assistance from Charles, and could supplement their income with appropriate opportunities.

Harry's frustration over the result was evident. "It brings me great sadness that it has come to this. The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly," he told a charity event in London in late January.

"Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible."

By the end of March, Harry and Meghan's transition out of their royal roles was complete. The current arrangements are due to be reviewed by the Sussexes and the rest of the family in March.

It was a dramatic start to the year, but arguably left the monarchy in a stronger position. The Crown can modernize as much as it likes, but ultimately it's built on a hierarchy, and the direct line of succession -- Elizabeth, Charles and William -- showed a united front.

Related: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's media empire expands with Spotify podcast deal

Charles catches Covid-19

Having settled the family drama, the Queen was immediately presented with one the biggest crises she's ever faced as head of nation -- keeping everyone united as the Covid-19 pandemic hit and the country went into an uncomfortable lockdown.

As Covid-19 spread through the UK, she was prevented from doing what she does best when her busy diary of public engagements was suddenly curtailed. She made the decision to relocate from Buckingham Palace in London to form a bubble in Windsor with Prince Philip and key staff "as a sensible precaution."

Harry and Meghan had hoped to carve out a role the establishment had never seen before, a hybrid position where they would choose which formal positions they would keep and which they would leave behind while they developed their own private income streams and independence. It's clear they also felt unsupported and unprotected by the palace machinery against what they felt was a constant barrage of media abuse and lies.

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