As the year draws to a close, it's time to test your memory of the headlines, viral moments, and cultural milestones that defined 2025 in the United Kingdom. From royal engagements and sporting victories to surprising scandals and environmental protests, it has been a year packed with notable events.
Royal, Cultural and Sporting Headlines
The UK's cultural landscape saw a significant designation, with Bradford being named the UK City of Culture for 2025. In royal news, a senior member of the Royal Family attended a historic funeral in Rome following the death of Pope Francis.
The sporting world celebrated several achievements. The Scottish Sports Personality of the Year for 2025 was awarded to a key coach behind the British and Irish Lions' triumphant tour series win in Australia. Meanwhile, the England women's football team saw two of its most prominent stars announce their international retirement ahead of the Euro 2025 tournament.
Crime, Controversy and Viral Phenomena
Justice was finally served in a long-running case, as a gang of four men were sentenced for the spectacular 2019 theft of a unique solid gold toilet from Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. In a more lighthearted viral story, a Scottish man's videos sparked a renewed popularity for a simple form of traditional folk music.
The year also had its share of controversy. Climate protestors from Just Stop Oil were arrested in January after an act of vandalism targeting the grave of a famous scientist inside Westminster Abbey. In a separate corporate scandal, a concert kiss-cam at a major band's gig unexpectedly exposed an affair between a CEO and the company's chief people officer.
Innovations, Anniversaries and Tributes
Significant investments and discoveries marked the year. The Ministry of Defence signed a colossal £9 billion contract with Rolls-Royce for the supply of reactors for a new class of nuclear-powered submarines. In a scientific breakthrough, a record-breaking discovery was reported at a quarry in Oxfordshire.
Several major anniversaries were celebrated. The Royal Greenwich Observatory marked a major milestone with the launch of its 'First Light' project, while the nation commemorated the 250th birth anniversary of a famous British author. The Royal Mint also issued a new £2 coin featuring a silver 'Big Brother' eye to mark the 75th anniversary of an author's death.
The Mood of the Nation and Pop Culture
Lexicographers at Oxford declared a two-word term as the UK's Word of the Year for 2025, perfectly capturing the prevailing national mood. In pop culture, Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, and a specific fictional cartoon character announced a pregnancy live on Good Morning Britain.
The year saw poignant losses, including the death of a Grammy Award-winning American soul singer in February and a long-lived reptile, estimated to be 141 years old, in November. In a bizarre incident, emergency services in Formby, Merseyside, launched a major rescue operation after a festive animal, likely a reindeer, escaped its enclosure.
From the new Pope being named in May to the host and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, and the temporary unavailability of a major social media app in the US, 2025 has been a year of diverse and memorable events. How many did you recall correctly?
