By Jessica Riga, ABC
Republican presidential nominee, former US President Donald Trump arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on 6 November 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: CHIP SOMODEVILLA / Getty Images via AFP
Time magazine's shortlist for their annual Person of the Year honour features royalty, political power players and podcasting chart-toppers.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, is among the 10 figures selected by the publication, along with US president elect-Donald Trump, who was bestowed with the title back in 2016.
Since 1927, Time magazine has named a person, group or concept that it argues "had the biggest impact - for good or for ill - on the world over the previous 12 months".
Last year, superstar Taylor Swift was named Time's Person of the Year, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and "the spirit of Ukraine" named in 2022.
Here is who made the shortlist for 2024.
Princess Catherine
Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales waves as she arrives at Wimbledon. 2024. Photo: AFP
When Princess Catherine was hospitalised for "planned abdominal surgery" earlier this year, no one could have predicted the storm of speculation that would follow.
Conspiracy theories about the princess and the wider royal family flourished on the internet when photo agencies ruled a typical Mother's Day photo had been digitally altered.
Buckingham Palace put the rumours to rest by revealing the princess had been diagnosed with cancer - Princess Catherine since announced she completed her chemotherapy treatment in September.
Time magazine said the princess "stirred a conversation about privacy and health for public figures".
- Previous entries: Princess Catherine was one of the runners-up for Person of the Year in 2011.
Donald Trump
US President-elect Donald Trump. Photo: CHIP SOMODEVILLA
Donald Trump pulled off a remarkable victory to reclaim the White House for the Republicans after completing a clean sweep of the major battleground states.
Time magazine has called Trump's election win history-making in multiple ways.
"He will be the oldest president in US history, and he was convicted earlier this year by a New York jury of 34 counts of fraud, making him the first convicted felon to be elected president," Time wrote.
- Previous entries: Trump was named Time's Person of the Year in 2016, the year he won his first term in office.
Kamala Harris
US Vice President Kamala Harris. Photo: MANDEL NGAN / AFP
Donald Trump's victory came at the expense of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.
When US President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for the White House, it ignited what Time magazine called a "remarkable" 107-day presidential campaign as Harris sought to become America's first woman president.
"Harris centred her campaign on reproductive rights, slamming former President Donald Trump for his role in the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and suggested that Trump is a threat to democracy," Time wrote.
- Previous entries: Harris was named Time's Person of the Year along with President Joe Biden in 2020, the year the duo defeated Trump and former vice-president Mike Pence.
Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan MCs during the UFC 300 ceremonial weigh-in at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: AFP / Getty Images North America / Carmen Mandato
When Donald Trump was on the campaign trail, he carved out time to spend three hours on Joe Rogan's podcast.
This month, The Joe Rogan Experience - which averages 11 million listeners per episode - was named Spotify's top podcast for the fifth year in a row.
The podcast, which covers current events, comedy and politics, has a large fanbase of young men.
"Rogan is a polarising figure, having faced backlash for spreading Covid-19 misinformation on his show and using racial slurs in the past," Time wrote.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk at The New York Times Dealbook Summit 2023 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on 29 November, 2023 in New York City. Photo: SLAVEN VLASIC / AFP
Elon Musk is used to up-ending the tech industry, but 2024 was the year the Tesla CEO stepped into politics.
"He endorsed Trump, appeared at rallies, promoted pro-Trump content on X, and helped Trump form his presidential agenda," Time wrote.
Finding his way into Trump's inner circle has paid off, with the president-elect announcing that Musk would co-lead a new commission - the Department of Government Efficiency.
The department - which shares an acronym with the meme-turned-cryptocurrency DOGE - is expected to propose cuts to the federal workforce and to regulations.
- Previous entries: Elon Musk was named Time's Person of the Year in 2021.
Mark Zuckerberg
Photo: AFP
Elon Musk is not the only tech billionaire to make the shortlist, with Mark Zuckerberg also in the running to win the title for a second time.
As the CEO of Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and other platforms, Zuckerberg was under intense scrutiny this year after fronting a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the impact of social media on young people.
During the presidential election, state officials expressed their concern over the spread of misinformation across Musk's platforms, particularly against the backdrop of artificial intelligence.
- Previous entries: Mark Zuckerberg was named Time's Person of the Year in 2010.
Yulia Navalnaya
Photo: Thomas Kienzle / AFP
When Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison earlier this year, his wife Yulia Navalnaya vowed to continue his work.
She has stood up to Vladimir Putin, accusing the Russian president of killing her husband, and has met with various world leaders while Russia's war on Ukraine continues.
Her work has since seen her dubbed the "first lady" of the Russian opposition.
Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been shortlisted.
"Defying criticism of his war on Hamas, the terrorist organisation that killed 1200 people in an attack against Israel on 7 October 2023, Netanyahu continued his military assault on the Gaza Strip this year, even as the death toll there rose to 44,056, according to the Gaza Health Ministry," Time wrote.
Netanyahu also expanded the war to Lebanon in the north in September.
"We're in the midst of a war, a seven-front war," Netanyahu told the publication in August.
"I think we have to concentrate on one thing: winning."
Claudia Sheinbaum
Mexico's presidential candidate for the Morena party Claudia Sheinbaum. Photo: Alfredo Estrella / AFP
Claudia Sheinbaum made history in October when she was sworn in as Mexico's first-ever female president.
Sheinbaum is a climate scientist and also the former mayor of Mexico City.
Mexico's largest elections have also been the most violent in modern history, with the killing of 38 candidates.
"After Trump announced his plan to impose a 25 percent tariff on all products from Mexico coming into the US, Sheinbaum was quick to issue a firm response, indicating that Mexico would retaliate with tariffs against the US," Time wrote.
Jerome Powell
US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell also made the shortlist this year.
He has served under both Trump and Biden administrations after coming into the role in 2018.
"As chairman, he's been steering the ship on the economy, which voters identified as the top issue in the 2024 election," Time wrote.
Despite being nominated for the top job by Trump, Powell was repeatedly criticised by Trump during his first term and was accused of keeping interest rates too high.
However, Powell has emphasised the importance of the Federal Reserve's independence from political parties.
- Previous entries: Jerome Powell was shortlisted for Person of the Year in 2023.
-ABC
