The Princess of Wales was one of 10 people in the running to be named 2024 Person of the Year by TIME magazine – an award Meghan Markle was also once nominated for – but it has been won by Donald Trump

The Princess of Wales has been pipped to the post by Donald Trump for a major award.

It was revealed earlier in the week that Kate has been nominated along with nine other candidates to be TIME magazine’s 2024 Person of the Year. For almost 100 years, the publication has named the person or group who it believes has had the biggest impact on the world – for good or for bad – over the last 12 months. But it was confirmed today that the president-elect who has won a second term in the White House has taken the gong.

TIME said that the princess’s name on the shortlist came after she “made international headlines this year and stirred a conversation about privacy and health for public figures.” Kate’s nomination came several years after sister-in-law Meghan was also nominated for the award in 2018, the year she married Prince Harry. However, she ultimately lost out on the award, which went to killed and imprisoned journalists dubbed “the guardians”.

The Princess of Wales had been in the running to be named 2024 Person of the Year by TIME magazine ( 
Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The past 12 months have been a rollercoaster of a ride for Kate following abdominal surgery in January before cruel conspiracy theories circulated after she stepped back from the public eye. She later revealed she had been given a cancer diagnosis and started preventative chemotherapy treatment before making a very gradual return to public life, with appearances at Trooping the Colour, Wimbledon and then hosting her Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey on Friday.

During the service last Friday, Kate reflected on her tumultuous year by saying she “didn’t know” what this year would bring just 12 months ago. The 42-year-old, who is making a gradual return to public events after completing her cancer treatment around four months ago, was heard on broadcast footage telling singer Paloma Faith: “I didn’t know this year was going to be the year I’ve just had.” When Faith replied “the unplanned”, Kate said: “The unplanned, exactly. But I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times.”

It was the fourth time the princess has held her event at Westminster Abbey in celebration of the positive qualities found in many and to bring festive cheer to the capital and associated events around the country. For Kate to win the coveted award this year, she will have to beat stiff competition from nine other candidates. Others nominated were Kamala Harry, who failed in her bid to become America’s first female president, and billionaire Elon Musk.

Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny who died in February, was also in the running as was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and chairman of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell. Controversial podcaster Joe Rogan was also on the shortlist as was the first female president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum. Completing the shortlist was billionaire and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.