The Royal Family Christmas Card Photos Are Spectacular

The British royals have released their Christmas card, and it's not one photo but several amazing shots. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle picked a photo from their wedding, Prince William and Kate Middleton chose a shot of their growing family, and Prince Charles and Camilla released a more sedate photo of the pair of them.

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They're HERE! The British royals have released their Christmas card, and it's not one photo but several amazing shots. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle picked a photo from their wedding, which makes perfect sense, and Prince William and Kate Middleton chose an Instagram-worthy shot of their growing family. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, true to form, released a more sedate photo of the pair of them that is no less sweet and sentimental. According to the Daily Mail, Harry and Meghan's photo was taken by Chris Allerton, and William and Kate's taken by Matt Porteous. Charles and Camilla's photographer was Hugo Burnand, who also snapped their wedding.

Honestly, it's hard to pick which one I love best. All of them? All of them!

There's a long tradition of royal Christmas cards dating back 70 years. Recent iterations have been casual and family-focused, in keeping with the younger, more modern royals becoming adults and starting their own families. We don't get a picture from each member of the royal family every single year, which is why the three photos this year are particularly noteworthy. It's a great reminder that the royals have had a lot to celebrate.

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First up is the family photo for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. William and Kate are so casual in jeans, which is a unusual but very fitting look for the parents of three. Prince Louis clearly steals the show—LOOK at those chubby cheeks. He is going to be such a character, I can already tell. George, the little goofball, looks like he's about to immediately sprint away mischievously with his parents yelling after him—which, given what we know about George, might actually have happened. The demure Princess Charlotte is posing quietly, with her arms around each of her parents. The picture captures each of their personalities perfectly.

In a never-before-seen shot of Harry and Meghan's royal wedding, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are backlit, looking up at the sky while fireworks explode above their heads. Harry's rocking back on his heels, and he and Meghan have their hands clasped behind his back. It's just gorgeous—and such an unusual shot, because it obscures their faces but we can still tell immediately who it is.

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Charles and Camilla sit on a bench and turn towards each other lovingly. It's just really simple and cute, and a lovely palette-cleanser from the drama and excitement of the other two photos. They've done it again!

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Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.