2022: A year in review
2022 has been a year to remember. After the tumultuous pandemic years of 2020-2021, many hoped that things would calm down a bit in 2022.
There has been war in Europe, energy crises, record inflation, a royal Jubilee and a royal funeral, heatwaves, cold snaps, and strikes with no less than three prime ministers in Number 10. Thankfully, 2022 is not the worst year in history and neither are the 2020s the worst decade.
As we approach the end of the year, let’s look back on some highlights.
Nostradamus predicts: What's in store for 2022
The article examined the predictions of the French astrologer, Nostradamus, for 2022. While the medieval mystic was spot on about global warming and inflation, hopefully, his crystal ball was malfunctioning with his prediction that an asteroid would hit the earth. With just a couple of weeks left in 2022, it will not be long till he is proven right or wrong. Here’s what he predicted for 2023.
A new record: The 10 hottest temperatures recorded in UK history
2022 was a scorcher. July saw the hottest temperature ever recorded when the mercury hit 40.3°C. As always, Sky HISTORY was on hand to put this milestone into historical context. Other articles looked back at how the UK dealt with other heatwaves like that long hot summer of 1976.
The longest reigning monarchs in history
In September, Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away, after 70 years on the throne. Poignantly, the nation had celebrated her Diamond Jubilee just two months earlier. As the second longest-serving monarch in history, readers were interested to find out about other royal record-breakers. Following the Queen’s passing, a series of features remembered her life and legacy, her charity work, her contribution to the Commonwealth and what she meant to the nation.
The history of Bonfire Night
Remember, remember the 5th November / Gunpowder, treason and plot.
Every 5th November, people up and down the country celebrate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot. Festivities include gathering around a bonfire, setting off fireworks and enjoying parkin if you’re from the North. But though we all enjoy Bonfire Night, how many of us know the history behind this November spectacle? This article explored what happened on that fateful November evening in 1605.
The Kaiser, the Tsar and King George V: Cousins at war in WW1
Sky HISTORY's series Royal Mob explored the relationships of Queen Victoria's extended family through the eyes of her favourite granddaughters, the Hesse sisters. These glamorous and strong-willed women married into the great Royal houses of Europe that would one day be at war. This article investigated those relationships to uncover how WW1 was very much a family affair.
The 8 shortest-serving Prime Minister
Sadly, for Liz Truss, her premiership broke records for all the wrong reasons. Following a disastrous budget that spooked the financial markets, Truss has no option but to resign when it became apparent Conservative MPs had lost faith in her leadership. She resigned on 20th October after just 44 days, the shortest serving Prime Minister in history. She joined this unfortunate group ranked in the article by length of tenure.
