From a giant government bill to royalty — here’s a quick recap of this week’s news in photos.

After a chaotic day in House, lawmakers narrowly approved the government spending bill late Thursday night.

Photo: Dennis Brack/Newscom

After Obama, Cabinet officials and aides placed calls to skeptical Democrats, the spending bill passed, thanks to the votes of 162 Republicans and 57 Democrats. (Photo: Dennis Brack/Newscom)

“My job tonight is to say thank you, and Merry Christmas,” House Speaker John Boehner said after the 219-206 vote. (That’s not him below.)

Mark Manion, director of Retirement Services at Minnesota State Retirement System came to the Capitol dressed as the Omnibus Tax Bill  during a staff information session in April. (Photo: Glen Stubbe/Minneapolis Star Tribune/Newscom)

‘It’s not a perfect bill,’ said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. ‘But this bill is so much better than a short-term CR.’ (Photo: Glen Stubbe/Minneapolis Star Tribune/Newscom)

The Daily Signal provided exclusive coverage in words, video and photos of the remarkable story of Elijah Leffingwell, whose parents chose a rare surgery to save his life.

All photos by GreatScott Images.

All photos by GreatScott Images.

This Friday PBS will air the National Christmas Tree lighting program.

The National Christmas Tree is illuminated on the Ellipse in Washington D.C. (Photo: Lawrence Jackson/White House)

The National Christmas Tree is illuminated on the Ellipse in Washington D.C. (Photo: Lawrence Jackson/White House)

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee released a 20-page investigative report detailing how the FDIC worked closely with the Justice Department to implement Operation Choke Point.

One FDIC official wrote:  'I literally cannot stand the pay day lending industry.' (Photo: Newscom)

One FDIC official wrote: ‘I literally cannot stand the pay day lending industry.’ (Photo: Newscom)

“Guardians of the Galaxy” star Chris Pratt gave an emotional speech about the birth of his son.

Chris arrives at the March of Dimes Celebration of Babies at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. (Photo: Newscom)

Pratt arrives at the March of Dimes Celebration of Babies at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. (Photo: Newscom)

British Prime Minister David Cameron visited some excited students in south London.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron shakes hands with year seven students at the Harris City Academy in south London. (Photo: Stefan Wermut/Newscom)

Cameron shakes hands with ‘year seven’ students at Harris City Academy. (Photo: Stefan Wermut/Newscom)

Prince William and Kate led the news this week. While their visit to New York City — and William’s to Washington, D.C. — included some serious discussions about illegal wildlife trafficking, the two did everything from attending a basketball game to visiting the 9/11 museum.

Prince William and Kate visited the Brooklyn Nets v Cleveland Cavaliers game on day two of their visit. (Photo: Newscom)

Prince William and Kate visit the Brooklyn Nets-Cleveland Cavaliers game on day two of their visit. (Photo: Newscom)

President Barack Obama meets Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 8. (Photo: Andrew Harrer/Pool/Newscom)

President Obama meets Prince William, the duke of Cambridge, in the Oval Office on Dec. 8. (Photo: Andrew Harrer/Pool/Newscom)

Sunday marked 73 years since the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, an act that plunged the nation into World War II.

Some 3,000 people observed a silent prayer at 7:55 a.m., the time when the attack started. (Photo: Kyodo/Newscom)

A crowd of about 3,000 observe a moment of silence and prayer at 7:55 a.m., the time the attack began. (Photo: Kyodo/Newscom)

Pearl Harbor survivor Howard Bender gives salute during a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony at Battleship IOWA on Sunday. (Photo: The Orange County Register/Newscom)

Pearl Harbor survivor Howard Bender salutes Sunday during a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony at Battleship Iowa. (Photo: Orange County Register/Newscom)

Check out this lion in Tanzania’s Serengeti.

Start planning your summer vacation. To see the greatest wildlife show on Earth, head for the Masai Mara in Kenya in August, when the wildebeest migration happens. More than 1.5 million animals sweep out of Tanzania's Serengeti. (Photo: Ellen Creager/Newscom)

This lion probably won’t be so inattentive in August, when more than 1.5 million animals sweep out of the Serengeti into Kenya. (Photo: Ellen Creager/Newscom)

Some Romanians kicked off the Christmas spirit with a costumed run.

A costumed Romanian man warms up prior the charity amateur race at the Mogosoaia Park near Bucharest, Romania. (Photo: Robert Ghement/Newscom)

This Romanian enthusiastically warms up before the charity amateur race at Mogosoaia Park near Bucharest. (Photo: Robert Ghement/Newscom)

The lack of an indictment in the death of Eric Garner, who died as police in New York City restrained him, sparked an outrage across the nation.

A protestor lies down on the street's pavement as they block the traffic on 42nd Street in Times Square during a protest against the decision of a grand jury not to indict a police officer involved in the death of Eric Garner. (Photo: John Taggart/Newscom)

A protester symbolically hits the pavement in New York as demonstrators block traffic on 42nd Street during a protest of a grand jury’s decision not to indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner during his arrest. (Photo: John Taggart/Newscom)

President Obama appeared on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.”

Colbert to Obama: ‘Why did you burn the Constitution and become an emperor?’ (Photo: YouTube)

Colbert to Obama: ‘Why did you burn the Constitution and become an emperor?’ (Photo: YouTube)

This refugee camp, built a few miles outside Mosul, Iraq, expands daily because residents of that city are afraid of fights between Iraqi forces and the terrorist group ISIS.

This girl is musing after playing in the dusty area around the camp. (Photo: Sebastian Backhaus/Newscom)

This girl just finished playing in a dusty area around a refugee camp. (Photo: Sebastian Backhaus/Newscom)