World Events in 2018
Royal Wedding of Harry and Meghan
Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor on 19 May. An estimated 1.9 billion people watched worldwide. The ceremony featured a powerful sermon by Bishop Michael Curry and a gospel choir.
Salisbury Novichok Poisoning
Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok in Salisbury in March. The UK blamed Russia, expelling diplomats. Months later, a local woman died after finding a discarded container of the agent.
Thai Cave Rescue
Twelve boys and their football coach were trapped in the Tham Luang cave in Thailand for 18 days in June-July. An international rescue operation involving cave divers saved all 13, in a mission widely described as miraculous. One rescuer died.
Murder of Jamal Khashoggi
The Saudi journalist was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. The killing, attributed to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's inner circle, caused international outrage and strained Saudi Arabia's relationships with Western allies.
Cambridge Analytica Scandal
It was revealed that the political consultancy had harvested the data of millions of Facebook users without consent to target political advertising. The scandal prompted congressional hearings and a broader reckoning with Big Tech's power over democracy.
Trump-Kim Singapore Summit
In a historic first, US President Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June. While producing a vague joint statement, the meeting was a dramatic piece of diplomatic theatre that temporarily eased tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Music in 2018
"One Kiss"
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa
This sleek dance-pop track spent eight weeks at UK number one and was the best-selling single of 2018. Dua Lipa's rise to pop superstardom was cemented, and the song was the soundtrack to that summer's Love Island.
"God's Plan"
Drake
Drake's 'God's Plan' debuted at US number one with record-breaking streaming numbers and stayed there for 11 weeks. Its music video, in which Drake gave away the entire budget to people in need, went viral immediately.
#1 Film of 2018
Avengers: Infinity War
Box Office: $2.05 billion
The culmination of a decade of Marvel storytelling brought together virtually every MCU hero against Thanos. Its shocking ending — half the universe turned to dust — left audiences gasping. It became only the fourth film to gross over $2 billion.
Born in 2018
Prince Louis of Cambridge
Third child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, born 23 April 2018
Archie Mountbatten-Windsor
Son of Duke and Duchess of Sussex (born May 2019, but anticipated in 2018)
Lost in 2018
Stephen Hawking
Theoretical physicist (A Brief History of Time)
Age 76
Aretha Franklin
Singer, the Queen of Soul (Respect, Natural Woman)
Age 76
Stan Lee
Comic book writer and creator of Marvel superheroes
Age 95
Avicii
Swedish DJ and producer (Wake Me Up, Levels)
Age 28
Anthony Bourdain
Chef, author, and television presenter (Parts Unknown)
Age 61
Technology in 2018
Fortnite Battle Royale became the biggest game in the world, earning billions. GDPR came into effect across Europe, flooding everyone's inbox with privacy policy updates. TikTok merged with Musical.ly and began its meteoric rise. Alexa and Google Home were in millions of homes. Folding phones were teased. 5G networks were announced.
- ● Fortnite Battle Royale became a global gaming phenomenon
- ● GDPR came into effect across the European Union
- ● TikTok merged with Musical.ly and launched globally
- ● SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy with a Tesla Roadster as payload
Cost of Living in 2018
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £230,000 | $240,000 |
| Average salary | £29,000 | $53,500 |
| Pint of milk | 51p | $0.88 |
| Loaf of bread | £1.38 | $2.85 |
| Dozen eggs | £2.10 | $2.30 |
| Pint of beer | £3.69 | $4.35 |
| Gallon of petrol/gas | £5.30 | $2.72 |
| Cinema ticket | £7.90 | $9.11 |
Shop 2018 memorabilia on eBay/Amazon
The Zeitgeist of 2018
David Attenborough's Blue Planet II made everyone think about plastic. The royal wedding of Harry and Meghan felt modern and inclusive. Fortnite consumed every teenager alive. Love Island became the UK's cultural obsession. Cardi B dominated music. The world felt politically febrile — gilets jaunes in France, Trump's wall, Brexit chaos.
In the News in 2018
The Novichok poisoning in Salisbury caused a diplomatic crisis with Russia. The Thai cave rescue gripped the world. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered. Trump met Kim Jong-un in Singapore. Cambridge Analytica's Facebook data scandal was exposed. Brexit negotiations descended into chaos.