For decades, the royal Christmas card has been a holiday tradition in the British royal family. The cards, which date back before Queen Elizabeth II’s childhood, have been around for more than 100 years, and as the royal family grows (2019 welcomed baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor), their Christmas notes only become more and more festive.
It’s reported that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip send 750 to 800 Christmas cards each year. Philip also reportedly sends another 200 cards to various organizations the royal family is close to. And don’t expect each card to have a generic message either. According to Reader’s Digest, the Queen started signing her cards in the summer, so she can have them ready by the time the holidays roll around. As for what’s on each message, Reader’s Digest reported that Queen Elizabeth II has a different moniker depending on the recipient of the Christmas card. Politicians and heads of state will receive cards signed with “Elizabeth R” (the R stands for “Regina,” the Latin word for “queen”), while friends will get notes signed with Elizabeth. The Queen’s cousins will receive mailers with her nickname, “Lilibet.”
If that isn’t reason enough to believe that the British royal family is serious about their holidays, we don’t know what is. See the evolution of the royal family Christmas card, from the early 1900s to the Meghan Markle era, ahead.
See the Royal Christmas cards through the years from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip; King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla; Prince William and Kate Middleton; Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; and more royal family members.
1914 – King George V & Queen Mary
One of the first royal Christmas cards was in 1914. The post featured King George V and Queen Mary (Queen Elizabeth II’s grandparents) with a handwritten message about troops in the United Kingdom during the first year of World War I.
1978 – Prince Charles / Princess Anne & Mark Phillips
Two royal families sent separate Christmas cards in 1978. One was Prince Charles (Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son), who sent a photo of him with a dog and the message, “With all good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.” The other was Princess Anne (Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter) and Mark Phillips who sent a photo of their children, Peter and Zara, with the message, “With all good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.”
1982 – Princess Diana & Prince Charles
Princess Diana and Prince Charles sent their first family Christmas card in 1982. The post included a photo of the couple with their newborn son, Prince William. They wrote, “With all good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.”
1985 – Princess Diana & Prince Charles
After Prince Harry’s birthday in 1984, Princess Diana and Prince Charles sent this Christmas card in 1985, which showed the family outside as the two young princes rode a pony. Prince Charles stood by in a kilt, while Princess Di watched her sons lovingly. The couple included the same message as previous years: “With all good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.”
1986 – Princess Diana & Prince Charles
Now a little older, Prince Harry and Prince William sat and stood in Prince Charles’ lap for this Christmas card in 1986. The post also included Princess Diana next to her then-husband, with a cute dog in her lap.
1987 – Princess Diana & Prince Charles
Prince Harry and Prince William wore matching outfits for this Christmas card in 1987. The brothers stood on a fence as their mom posed behind them. Their dad, Prince Charles, also stood next to them with his hands crossed. The family switched up their message this year. They wrote, “Wishing you a very happy Christmas and New Year.”
1990 – Princess Diana & Prince Charles
In 1990, six years before Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ divorce, the family sent this Christmas card with Prince Harry and Prince William in matching red sweaters and gray slacks. The brothers posed at the palace, with their parents behind them.
2001 – Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, sent this Christmas card in 2001 with his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex. They wrote, “Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.” The card was sent two years before the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Lady Louise Windsor.
2005 – Prince Charles & Camila Parker Bowles
After his wedding to Camila Parker Bowles in April 2005, Prince Charles sent their wedding picture as the couple’s holiday card for that year. The photo featured the couple on their happy day as they stood arm in arm. On Prince Charles’ side were his sons Prince William and Prince Harry (who looked away from the camera.) With Camila were her children, Tom and Laura Parker Bowles.
2016 – Prince Charles & Camila Parker Bowles
Prince Charles and Camila sent a card as married couple in 2016. The photo for the card was taken on their royal tour of Croatia. The couple met local performers in traditional dresses on their visit to Tvrda, an old town in the city of Osijek.
2017 – Prince Charles & Camila Parker Bowles
Prince Charles and Camila kept it simple for their 2017 Christmas card. The couple’s photo came from the Duchess of Cornwall’s 70th birthday party in the Orchard Room of their Highgrove House.
2017 – Prince William & Kate Middleton
The family is all here! One of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first family Christmas cards was in 2017. The photo featured the couple as they stood behind their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who were dressed to match their parents. The family posed in Kensington Palace for the shot.
2018 – Prince Charles & Camila Parker Bowles
For 2018, Prince Charles and Camila sent this romantic photo of them sitting on a bench. The photo was put on the Christmas tree in Clarence House.
2018 – Prince William & Kate Middleton
This now-iconic family photo was Kate and William’s Christmas card in 2018. The photo featured the family as they posed outside Anmer Hall in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Dressed casually, Kate and William leaned against a tree as their children played behind them. Prince George balanced on one leg, Princess Charlotte sandwiched herself between her parents and Prince Louis sat comfortably in his mom’s arms.
2019 – Prince William & Kate Middleton
Air Commodore Dawn McCafferty shared this Christmas card she received from Prince William and Kate Middleton on Twitter. The post featured the couple with their three children dressed in different shades of blue. Prince William sat on a vehicle with his youngest son, Prince Louis, in his lap. By his side are his other two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who posed for the camera. On his other side is Kate who stuns in a floral blue dress.
2019 – Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released the following post as their Christmas card for 2019. The candid photo showed the parents laughing in the background as their son, Archie, crawled toward the camera. The couple dressed casual, with Meghan in a sweater and Harry in a shirt with his sleeves rolled up, as they posed in front of a Christmas tree. The black-and-white photo included sparkles, as well as the simple message: Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.”
2020 – Prince William & Kate Middleton
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s 2020 Christmas card saw them dressed in casual sweaters and jeans with their three kids: Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The family sat on a bale of hay in front of stacks of logs as they smiled for the camera. “The Duke and Duchess are delighted to share a new image of their family, which features on their Christmas card this year🎄,” the couple wrote on Instagram.
2020 – Meghan Markle & Prince Harry
The Animal nonprofit Mayhew tweeted Meghan and Harry’s 2020 Christmas Card, which saw the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their son, Archie. The photo saw the family of three in a small outhouse decorated with red bows and Christmas trees with their two dogs. “We’re thrilled to receive wonderful Christmas wishes from our Patron, The Duchess of Sussex, who also made a personal donation, helping dogs, cats and our community. Purple heart From all of us at Mayhew, thank you and Merry Christmas,” Mayhew tweeted.
2021 – Prince William & Kate Middleton
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge kept the family tradition going with their 2021 Christmas card. For their card, the couple were joined by their kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, aged 8, 6 and 3, respectively, at the time the photo was snapped. According to Kensington Palace, the family portrait was snapped during a private family vacation to Jordan earlier that year.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased to share a new photograph of their family,” the palace’s statement read. “The photograph, which features on Their Royal Highnesses’ Christmas card this year, shows The Duke and Duchess with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in Jordan earlier this year.”
2021 – Meghan Markle & Prince Harry
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared their first photo of their daughter Lilibet, who was born on June 6, 2021, for their 2021 Christmas card. The card saw Harry and Meghan dressed in jeans and csual clothes as they sat outside with their two children: Lilibet, 6 months, and Archie, 2. In the photo, Meghan could be seen holding Lilibet up as Harry and Archie, who sat on his father’s knee, could be seen smiling at them.
The card was taken by photographer Alexi Lubomirski at the couple’s home in Santa Barbara, California. (Lubomirski also photographed Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding.) “Happy holidays,” the card reads. “This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a ‘Mama’ and a ‘Papa’, and Lili made us a family. As we look forward to 2022, we have made donations on your behalf to several organizations that honor and protect families – from those being relocated from Afghanistan, to American families in need of paid parental leave.” The card was first shared by Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster relief organization serving vulnerable communities.
2022 – King Charles & Queen Consort Camilla
For their first Christmas card as the new King and Queen Consort, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla shared a card with a photo of them at the Braemar Games in Scotland in September 2022. The card, which was taken by photographer Samir Hussein on September 3, 2022, featured a photo of the King in a tweed jacket and vest a red, green and gold-striped tie and the Queen Consort in a green coat with a red tartan lapel. “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year,” the card reads. The card was the first Christmas Card Charles and Camilla sent since the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8, 2022, just five days after the Christmas card photo was taken.
2022 – Prince Charles & Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales, shared their 2022 Christmas card on Instagram on December 13, 2022. The card featured a photo of the royal couple and their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis—holding hands as they walked down a path. The photo, which was taken by photographer Matt Porteus, saw William dressed in a dark blue button-up shirt and jeans, while Kate wore a white top and jeans. “Sharing a new picture of the family for this year’s Christmas card! 🎄” William and Kate captioned the post.
2022 – Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared their 2022 Christmas card on December 16, 2022. The card featured a black-and-white photo of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award Gala in New York City on December 6, 2022, a week before their Christmas card was shared. “Wishing you a joyful holiday season,” the card read. “From our family to yours, and on behalf of our teams at The Archewell Foundation, Archewell Audio, and Archewell Productions, we wish you health, peace, and a very happy new year.” It was signed, “Best wishes,” with both their signatures underneath: “Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
2023 – The Family Wales
Prince William, Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George were photographed in crisp white shirts and jeans for the shoot, which dropped on December 10, 2023. The photo almost immediately caused a stir when fans noticed Prince Louis’ middle finger was missing.
“Prince Louis finger is missing, also they have photoshopped someone else’s leg onto his I certainly hope taxpayers didn’t pay for it,” tweeted one fan. “Prince Louis middle finger is missing and his legs look strange,” observed another. “Are Prince William children even real or are they fake? Why does Louis not have a finger and look at Louis leg both legs don’t look similar,” noted a third Twitter user.
Louis’ finger wasn’t the only thing that royal watchers observed about the photo. “While it’s a nice family photo, as soon as I looked at it, I noticed Louis hand. He’s missing a finger. That got me looking closer. His right leg looks swollen. Where’s William’s thigh? Where’s Kate’s other foot?” Another person tweeted, “Are Prince William’s children even real or are they fake? Why does Louis not have a finger and look at Louis’ legs? Both legs don’t look similar.”
2023 – Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
On December 14, 2023, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed their 2023 holiday card — a virtual greeting sent via email on behalf of their Archewell organization. “We wish you a very happy holiday season. Thanks for all the support in 2023!” the card read.
The photo of the happy couple was taken at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. It was released mere hours after Harry won a landmark phone-hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers. In a statement following his win, Harry said, “I’ve been told that slaying dragons will get you burned but in light of today’s victory and the importance of doing what is needed for a free and honest press, it is a worthwhile price to pay. The mission continues.”
Jason Pham
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