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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(Image credit: Handout)

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.

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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(Image credit: Handout)

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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(Image credit: WPA Pool)

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Katherine J. Igoe
Contributor

Katherine’s a Boston-based contributor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle—from “Clueless” to Everlane to news about Lizzo. She’s been a freelancer for 11 years and has had roles with Cosmopolitan and Bustle, with bylines in Parents, Seventeen, and elsewhere. It’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.