Each year, the Christmas card from Prince William and Kate Middleton kicks off the Christmas holidays, but this year, royal fans are divided.
Britain’s royalty has been through problems this year, including King Charles and Kate Middleton’s cancer journeys, Andrew (formerly titled Prince) and more. In fact, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Christmas photo this year doesn’t look as happy as normal.
This has sparked a debate among royal fans on social media, with some loving the image and other criticizing the timing. More royal family followers noted that the family looks relaxed and like a “normal” family.
The image, shared to their social media pages shows Prince William and Kate Middleton relaxing in nature with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Meanwhile, they captioned the photo writing a simple “Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas.” The image shows that George takes after his father, while Charlotte and Louis look more like their mother.
The photo was credited to the photographer, @joshshinner, April 2025. It is admittedly a lovely scene, but there isn’t much festive about it. While the family group was meant to spread cheer, the choice of a spring photo for a winter greeting, along with the family’s body language has become a talking point.
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Royal supporters always appreciate a glimpse into the lives of Britain’s future King and Queen, so they were quick to comment. One fan wrote, “Beautiful Family! Merry Christmas to you all from Sunny Florida USA.” Another Instagram user wrote, “What a beautiful photo! Merry Christmas!!”
Another commenter noted, “Such a beautiful family photo – I can feel the love you have for each other.”
While most comments on Instagram were loving and positive, threads on Reddit were more critical. Some Redditors noted that the image lacks the grandeur expected of royalty, with one writing, “And it Looks like every single card they ever release. Could have come from dept store photographer. Cute matching kids. Nothing else of note.”
Others commented on the spring scene, with one writing, “Ah yes, daffodils. The flowers of Christmas.” As with the Instagram post, many were confused about why Prince William and Kate Middleton chose a spring setting for a Christmas greeting. “I don’t get how they live in castles with picture-perfect castle backdrops for Christmas and they use a Spring picture?” one user questioned.
However, some commenters liked the casual look of the Christmas photo, saying it was like cards they receive from their friends. Yet more focused on the body language and facial expressions, with one writing, “William is grimacing. Dude, you chose to get married and have kids.” Another noted, “William looks like he’s in pain.”
Generally speaking, Redditors noted that the smiling photo couldn’t quite hide what looks like underlying fatigue. One noted, “None of them look actually happy in their eyes, but that’s probably just the stress of the moment. Taking photos is so artificial, especially with kids.”
As the holidays approach, a family photo like this does remind royal fans of the intense scrutiny the Wales family is constantly under and yes, maybe William and Kate are feeling tired, but hopefully, they have a happy Christmas themselves.
