Pictures of the year 2017: Moments of surprise, joy, fear and sadness captured by the world's best photographers

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In 2017, the world's best photographers captured moments of surprise, joy, fear and sadness.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle delighted the world in November when they revealed they were engaged to be married in May next year.

But Britain was also left in mourning after the London Bridge, Manchester and Westminster terror attacks and the devastating Grenfell Tower fire.

Poignant and moving images showed MP Tobias Ellwood trying to save the life of PC Keith Palmer who was stabbed to death during the Westminster atrocity and tearful families laying flowers and tributes in the days after the tragedies.

There were also moments of happiness, like Beyonce revealing she was pregnant with twins and receiving the most Instagram likes ever.

Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images

Not long after, Mo Farah was pictured celebrating with his children after winning the final of the men's 10,000m athletics event at the 2017 world athletics championships at the London stadium.

Shocking images from white nationalist rallies in the US sparked debate internationally over the rise of alt-right extremism.

Ryan M. Kelly/The Daily Progress via AP

One woman, Heather Heyer, was tragically killed after a car piled into a crowd of counter-protestors demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville in August.

Meanwhile in the UK, this photo of activist Saffiyah Khan facing down an English Defence League activist went viral in the wake of the Westminster attack.

Viral: The photo of the young woman appearing to smile at the activist was shared thousands of times
Joe Giddens/PA

Ms Khan said at the time: "I wasn't scared in the slightest. I stay pretty calm in these situations...I wasn't going to be provoked."

A difficult year for Theresa May saw the Prime Minister pictured with a box of chips on the campaign trail for the June General Election and as prankster Simon Brodkin handed her a P45 during her speech during the Tory party conference.

Carl Court/Getty Images

All the while her Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn enjoyed a markedly positive year.

This photo of Mr Corbyn, reading to children at a children's centre in Bristol during the campaign trail, went viral in the midst of the election campaign.

Mr Corbyn enjoyed a surge in the polls in the run-up to the election
Steve Parsons/PA

After close to two years battling opponents in the media, the Conservatives, and even his own party, Mr Corbyn has emerged as a genuine contender for Downing Street.

Should another snap election be called, however, there's no telling how Mr Corbyn might fare against Lord Buckethead, the comedy character and self-proclaimed intergalactic space lord who ran against Mrs May in her Maidenhead constituency.

Lord Buckethead (R) dabs after hearing the GE 2017 exit poll
Getty

While Mrs May just about managed to hold back the tears after learning of her disastrous election result, one world leader across the pond wasn't afraid to show some emotion earlier in the year.

Barack Obama could be seen wiping a tear from his eyes as he addressed the American people for his farewell speech.

EPA

Mr Obama took the opportunity to praise his wife, saying: "You took on a role you didn't ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humour.

"You made the White House a place that belonged to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model."

Australian MPs celebrate the passing of the Marriage Amendment Bill (PA)
PA Archive/PA Images

Almost one year later, Australian MPs cried tears of joy after successfully passing of the Marriage Amendment Bill before the end of the year, paving the way for same-sex couples to wed there for the first time.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "What a day for love, for quality, for respect. Australia has done it."

Check out our gallery above for our full selection of the photographs that defined 2017.

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