38 photos show the royal family's Christmas cards over the last century

King Charles III (then Prince Charles), Prince William, and Prince Harry in their 1999 Christmas card.

John Stillwell - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

• For more than a century, members of the royal family have sent Christmas cards to their subjects.
• Images used on the cards show historic events or candid moments between the royals.
• Prince William and Kate Middleton's 2023 card features a black-and-white portrait of their family.

For their 2023 Christmas card, Prince William and Kate Middleton chose a black-and-white portrait of the couple alongside their three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

But photos on the royals' Christmas cards haven't always been so formal — over the decades, the images have provided glimpses into the family's lives, from snaps taken on vacations to candid moments between couples.

Take a look at photos that have graced the front of the royal family's Christmas cards over the last 100 years.

1914: King George V and his wife, Mary, sent these stoic portraits to British troops to send their "best wishes for Christmas."

A Christmas card from the king in 1914.

The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images

This postcard was sent to the British troops in 1914, when World War I was underway.

"May God protect you and bring you home safe," the card reads.

1942: A decade before she would become their queen, Princess Elizabeth sent this card to members of the British Army.

A Christmas card from then Princess Elizabeth.

Express/Express/Getty Images

The 16-year-old princess sent this card to the Grenadier Guards regiment of the British Army.

Ten years later, her father, King George VI, passed away and she took over the throne.

1954: The image selected for the royal family's Christmas card showed Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles — now King Charles III — and Princess Anne.

The Queen with the Duke of Edinburgh and their two children.

PA Images via Getty Images

The photo, taken on May 15, 1954, shows the family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their tour of the Commonwealth. During the trip, they visited 13 countries across the West Indies, Australasia, Asia, and Africa.

1965: Members of the royal family delight over 1-year-old Prince Edward in this image taken at Windsor Castle.

The royal family in 1965.

AP

It shows the Queen and Prince Philip with their children, 17-year-old Prince Charles, 15-year-old Princess Anne, 5-year-old Prince Andrew, and 1-year-old Prince Edward.

1976: An image from this photo shoot, which shows the growing royal family, was used on their Christmas card in 1976.

The Queen and her family.

Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

This image, which was taken in Bromont, Canada, includes Princess Anne's husband of three years, Mark Phillips, who stands behind Prince Edward.

1979: They selected a posed family photo for their Christmas card in 1979.

In 1979, the royal family featured this portrait on their Christmas card.

PA Images via Getty Images

Taken at Balmoral Castle, this image shows Queen Elizabeth with her husband and their children. Look closely and just behind Prince Edward's leg, you'll see Princess Anne's 2-year-old son, Peter Phillips, in the left of the photo.

1984: An image from this family photo shoot was used for Charles and Diana's Christmas card. It shows Diana holding a newborn Prince Harry.

Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and their children.

AP Photo

Princess Diana later said her pregnancy with Harry was the happiest time in her marriage.

"Charles and I were very, very close to each other the six weeks before Harry was born, the closest we've ever, ever been and ever will be," she said in Andrew Morton's biography, "Diana: Her True Story."

However, she said their relationship soured because Charles wanted a girl.

1987: Three years later, Diana and Charles shared another family portrait.

Diana, Charles, and their sons.

FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

The card was signed by Charles and Diana. By this time, they had been married for six years.

1987: Photographer Yousuf Karsh stands next to this portrait of the Queen and her grandchildren. The image appeared on their 1987 Christmas card.

Yousuf Karsh with his royal family portrait.

PA Images via Getty Images

The portrait shows the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh with their grandchildren — William, Harry, Peter Phillips, and Zara Phillips — at Balmoral in 1987.

Karsh posed alongside the photo in 1988, during the preview of his 80th birthday exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery in London. The Canadian photographer died in 2002.

1988: Charles and Diana are pictured with their growing boys.

Charles and Diana's Christmas card, 1988.

GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images

Prince William was 6, and Prince Harry was 4.

1994: A card shows Charles, who had separated from Diana in 1992, with their two sons.

Prince William, then-Prince Charles, and Prince Harry.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

Diana and Charles separated in 1992 but divorced in 1996.

This card, which was signed by Charles, was among a series of royal Christmas cards that went up for auction at Rowley's auction house in Ely, Cambridgeshire, in the UK in 2020.

1998: A Christmas card sent to an employee of the Queen's Sandringham Estate showed the monarch with her children and grandchildren.

The Queen and Prince Philip's Christmas card, 1998.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

This card, which was sent to an unidentified worker and signed by the Queen and Prince Philip, was also part of the 2020 auction. Money was raised for the Norfolk Hospice in King's Lynn, which is just a few miles from the royal family's Sandringham Estate.

1999: The following year, the Queen sent a card featuring her mother.

The Queen and Prince Philip's Christmas card, 1999.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

The card, which was also among those up for auction, shows the Queen Mother, who turned 99 in 1999. She died three years later, before her 102nd birthday.

1999: Charles put his arms around his sons in this photo on the front of his 1999 Christmas card.

Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry in their 1999 Christmas card.

John Stillwell - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

The princes' mother had passed away two years prior.

2000: The following year, the three royals looked smart on the front of their Christmas card.

Prince Harry, Charles, and Prince William.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

This card was also among those up for auction in 2020.

2003: Charles' card from 2003 shows a sweet moment with his sons.

Prince William, Prince Harry, and Charles.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

Prince William was 21, while Prince Harry was 19.

2005: Charles and his then-new wife, Camilla, shared this image from their wedding day for their Christmas card.

The photo was taken at the couple's April wedding.

HUGO BURNAND/AFP via Getty Images

This photo was taken in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle after the couple's wedding on April 9, 2005.

As well as Prince William and Prince Harry, the photo shows Camilla's children, Laura and Tom Parker Bowles. This was the first time Camilla had appeared on Charles' Christmas card, despite their years-long relationship.

2007: The Queen and her husband shared two photos on their Christmas card this year. First, a photo of the couple with their grandchildren.

The Queen, Prince Philip, and their grandchildren.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

Prince Harry, Prince William, and Peter Phillips (the son of Princess Anne) are seen in the back row. At the front, from left to right, stand Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II, Lady Louise Windsor, and Zara Phillips.

2007: On the other side of the card, the Queen and Prince Philip were pictured with their children and their spouses.

The Queen, Prince Philip, their children, and their children's spouses in 2007.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

As well as the Queen's children, the card shows Charles' wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, Anne's husband, Timothy Laurence, and Edward's wife, Sophie Wessex. This card was also part of Rowley's December 2020 auction.

2012: Charles and Camilla's holiday card featured a photograph taken during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Charles and Camilla's 2012 card.

Lewis Whyld / Clarence House - WPA Pool/Getty Images

The celebrations marked the 60th anniversary of the accession of Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

2012: The Duke of Edinburgh is seen presenting his wife with a trophy after her horse won the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot in June 2012.

Prince Philip and the Queen.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

Her horse, Estimate, won easily.

2013: Charles and his wife giggled together in the photo on their Christmas card.

Prince Charles and Camilla at Royal Ascot.

John Stillwell - WPA Pool / Getty Images

The photo shows the couple in the Royal Box during the races at Royal Ascot, one of Britain's best known racecourses, on June 19, 2013.

2014: The following year, they shared a similarly happy photograph.

Charles and Camilla, pictured on their 2014 Christmas card.

WPA Pool / Getty Images

In the photo, they are seen laughing during the Invictus Games Opening Ceremony in London on September 10, 2014.

The Invictus Games were launched that year by Charles' son Prince Harry.

2015: They look at ease in this image taken in Scotland during their summer vacation.

Charles and Camilla.

WPA Pool / Getty Images

The photo, which was released a week before Christmas, was taken on a private estate in August by a friend, according to Clarence House.

2015: Prince William and Kate Middleton looked similarly content in their family portrait.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Chris Jelf, Kensington Palace

The portrait was taken at Kensington Palace. It shows 2-year-old Prince George giggling alongside his little sister, Charlotte, who was 5 months old at the time the photo was taken.

2016: Charles and Camilla celebrated their tour of Croatia with their 2016 holiday card.

Charles and Camilla in Tvrda, Croatia.

Getty Images via Clarence House

During the trip, they met performers wearing traditional dress in Tvrda.

2016: Princess Charlotte and Prince George were mesmerized by an entertainer during the family's tour of Canada.

The family is pictured at a children's party for military families in Victoria, Canada, in September 2016.

Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images

This sweet family moment graced the front of their Christmas thank-you cards, which were received in January 2017.

2017: The Queen's card showed her feeding a banana to an elephant named Donna alongside Prince Philip.

The Queen and Prince Philip.

Courtesy Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

The photo was taken during the royal couple's trip to Whipsnade Zoo, where the Queen opened a new Centre for Elephant Care in April 2017.

2017: Charles and Camilla shared a photo from Camilla's private 70th birthday party.

A card from Charles and Camilla hangs in a tree at Clarence House.

WPA Pool/Getty Images

The celebrations were held in Highgrove House, their private family residence in Gloucestershire, in July 2017.

2017: William and Kate also shared a more formal portrait.

Prince William, Duchess Catherine, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The photograph shows the family at Kensington Palace. It was taken by Getty photographer Chris Jackson, who takes many of the personal photos released by the royal family.

2018: Charles and Camilla featured another sweet photo on their Christmas card.

Charles and Camilla at Clarence House.

HUGO BURNAND/AFP via Getty Images

The photo was taken during the summer in the garden of Clarence House.

2018: Prince Louis made his first Christmas-card appearance in this relaxed family portrait.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Louis, Charlotte, and George.

Matt Porteous/Kensington Palace

This family portrait was taken at Anmer Hall. The property, which is on the royal family's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, was given to the couple as a wedding gift.

Prince Louis was born in April 2018. His big brother is 5 in this photo, while his big sister is 3.

2018: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared this elegant black-and-white photo on their Christmas card.

Prince Harry shares a tender moment with his new wife, Meghan Markle, on their wedding day.

Chris Allerton/PA

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose a photo from their wedding night for the front of their holiday card. It shows them watching fireworks on the grounds of Frogmore House, where their evening reception was held in May 2018.

 

2019: Charles and Camilla celebrated their historic trip to Cuba.

Charles and Camilla's 2019 card.

Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images

They became the first British royals to ever visit Cuba in March 2019. In the photo, they're driving a vintage MG TD at the British Classic Car event in Havana.

2020: For Prince William and Kate Middleton's official Christmas card, they shared a photo of their family taken outside their home in Norfolk.

Kate and William's Christmas card in 2020.

Matt Porteous/Kensington Palace/Reuters

The photo shows the couple with their three children outside Anmer Hall. As Business Insider's Mikhaila Friel noted, Princess Charlotte resembles a young Prince William in the image.

2021: Charles and Camilla selected a candid photo that highlighted precautions the nation took against COVID-19.

Then-Prince Charles helps Camilla Parker Bowles with her mask at the Royal Ascot in 2021.

Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

The couple's card featured a photo of Charles helping Camilla with her mask during Royal Ascot in 2021.

2022: Last year, Charles and Camilla released their first Christmas card as king and queen consort.

A photo shows the Christmas card sent by King Charles and Camilla in 2022.

JONATHAN BRADY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The photo, which was taken just days before Queen Elizabeth died, shows the couple at the Braemar Games in Scotland.

The image by royal photographer Samir Hussein was personally selected by the couple, according to Buckingham Palace.

2023: This year's card featured a more formal photograph of William, Kate, and their children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

In this undated handout provided by Kensington Palace, and taken by the photographer Josh Shinner earlier this year in Windsor, Prince William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, pose with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Josh Shinner/Kensington Palace via Getty Images

Photographer Josh Shinner captured the family earlier in 2023 in Windsor. While the photo feels more formal than in years past, they are each dressed casually in white shirts and dark jeans.

Read the original article on Insider

from Business Insider https://ift.tt/BM2OrdS