William and Kate choose relaxed family portrait for Christmas card
The Prince and Princess of Wales have chosen a relaxed family portrait as the image for their official Christmas card this year.
William and Kate were photographed with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at Windsor earlier this year.
In the monochrome image, Princess Charlotte sits on a chair, while the rest of the family, all dressed casually in jeans and open-necked shirts, stands around her.
The family photo was captured by Yorkshire-born photographer Josh Shinner whose previous sitters include Florence Pugh, Jodie Comer and Sam Smith.
Christmas images used to decorate official festive cards are regularly released by senior members of the royal family with the cards sent to friends, family and colleagues.
The King and Queen opted for a coronation day photograph taken at Buckingham Palace for theirs.
The formal image, showing Charles and Camilla in the palace throne room following the coronation, contrasts with the relaxed family group photo selected by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
It was taken by photographer Hugo Burnand who captured the couple standing side by side, with Charles wearing the Imperial State Crown and Camilla wearing Queen Mary’s Crown.
The King is also pictured wearing a coronation tunic and the robe of estate.
Made of purple silk velvet embroidered in gold, the robe was worn by King George VI in 1937.
The Queen is wearing her robe of estate made by Ede and Ravenscroft and designed and hand embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.
She also wears her coronation dress designed by Bruce Oldfield.
The image – taken on the day of the coronation, May 6 2023 – has been selected for the couple’s second Christmas card since Charles became King.
The crowning of Charles and Camilla and the deeply religious ceremony in Westminster Abbey earlier this year was followed by a weekend of celebrations.
The couple took to the palace balcony to see the crowds, joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and the coronation pages and Ladies in Attendance.
The event brought together around 100 heads of state, kings and queens from across the globe, celebrities, everyday heroes and family and friends of the couple.
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