The Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales have released their Christmas card. It came out late Tuesday the 13th. It feels early to me, so I looked up when they released their card last year – on the 9th/10th of December. So… it’s not actually a conspiracy, right? They always release their cards around this time. It’s just that this year, Peg and Buttons wanted to get it out before Harry & Meghan Volume 2 drops on Netflix. Also: King Charles and Camilla released their Christmas card days ago, so this must be the week.
As for the card itself… the thing about William and Kate is that I don’t think either of them really has an artist’s eye? They wouldn’t know composition or style if it pulled on Kate’s doll wig. Any photographer worth a damn would say “hey, the image is slightly off because William is looking away and Louis is the only one without a toothy grin.” But whatever, it is what it is. At least this year’s card wasn’t from a photoshoot from a mysterious family vacation in Jordan (like last year’s). At least Kate did a better job of a color theme this time around. She does love a blue color story. She loves it when sh-t looks like a denim ad. (Hilariously, the Sussexes’ Christmas card last year was very denim-forward too, so the copykeening has now ventured into Christmas cards.)
Judging from the background solely, I also believe this was taken in Windsor and not Norfolk. Considering they’re supposed to be “living” at a four-bedroom cottage in Windsor, this must be one of the walking paths around the Royal Windsor Estate.
Here’s Charles and Camilla’s Christmas card. While the photo wasn’t taken during a holiday, at least it has a Christmas-y feel to it with Camilla in green and Charles in tweed. That’s something that is consistently off-putting about William and Kate’s Xmas cards – they rarely feel appropriately seasonal. The Waleses’ card looks too summery.
Christmas card image courtesy of Matt Porteous and Kensington Palace. Additional photos courtesy of ITV/KP, Instar and KP
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I see Two heirs, two spares and a now expendable future press fodder wife who can easily be cropped out of the photo in the future. Hope the spares are learning from their uncle and have an exit plan worked out.
@Ellen… I was just about to say the same thing. The spares will thank Meghan and Harry because their lives will be easier because H&M are standing up for themselves and finally exposing the dysfunctional family/monarchy.
The kids are cute. But of all the photos taken this was the best one? The need better photographers.
Coming from a family of five, this reminds me of our Christmas photos. My mom would select the photo with two people looking at the camera. She would have liked three people looking at the camera but that never happened.
Yeah.. But when the father is the one acting like a kid and is looking away.. Naah
He’s looking like he don’t want to be part of it!
Yeah, like…all the kids had no issue looking into the camera, haha.
For someone who often dresses on theme, her Christmas card choices are surprising. The kids are adorable.
Right?? I’ve seen pics of The Slenderman that look less creepy than this shot.
WORD
The composition of the photo makes it look like Kate is being run off the path and into the grass while Will has all the space he needs and more.
@Truthiness, that’s exactly what I came here to say. Why did the photographer not pause them and have everyone shuffle over so William isn’t hogging the path and Kate being pushed off it? While that’s obviously the energy W&K are always giving, surely they didn’t mean to telegraph it in their holiday card.
(Or does Bulliam so terrify even the photographers they are scared to suggest he needs to do anything even slightly differently?)
And yes, why is it the grown adult to whom they are all supposed to defer is the one who can’t face the camera and smile?
Yeah DK, I bet Will doesn’t take directions well. I think he’s photoshopped as well, he hasn’t been that lanky since college days, maybe it’s all shopped for an occasion like this. So much distance between spouses compared to last year’s card with Kate’s hand on Will, all the better to compete with last year’s divorce rumors.
The different composition is also a choice, adults at the ends with the kids in between after hands on each other last year. No insinuation, just observing.
As for the photo more generally, seriously??? I was reading Ideal Home magazine at the weekend and chuckling at the thought of these people dressing their home for Christmas in what was probably high summer but at least it gives the current issue seasonally appropriate content. These clowns can’t even pretend to think that far ahead (my apologies to clowns).
I actually think Kate looks REALLY GOOD in the dress she is wearing for the last year’s card. It looks stylish and effortless and is not tailored within an inch of its life to show how thin she is.
Those jeggings she wears, please just NO. They always make her look weird, like her shoulders and head are on the wrong body. She could rock a pair of levi’s, or any jeans really that are not skin tight.
My wish for her is that she stops with the skin tight clothing next year.
My thoughts precisely! Let go of the jeggings!!!
For heaven’s sake, let her have her sprayed-on jeans; otherwise, she’ll start flashing people again.
The jeggings are tragic. Really awful.
@SarahCS +1 Nothing about this photo indicates its Christmas season. No tree, lights or other decorations, just a photo of Normal Bill taking his family for a walk on a nice warm day sometime earlier this year.
Lol I keep calling them clowns too – bc its the most printable description for these people. To me, they are now evil comedy central.
If they wanted a photo of them walking around Windsor, it would have had a more Christmas feel if it was taken in colder weather and they are all wearing sweaters, coats etc. it looks weird to take a summery photo for the holidays essentially in their backyard. Do they seriously not have more recent photos than that? That’s why photos taken during a summer vacation can look kind of cool.
W&K and Cambinos tend to always pose for their Xmas card photo during the summer!
For sure, the denim-theme is copy-keening M&H. Even CPs Mary & Fred of Denmark released a denim-themed family photo in February which seemed to have been inspired by the Sussexes’ lovely Xmas card, in which they were casually dressed in denim and white, in front of the teahouse on their Montecito estate.
The Cambridges/Wales have worn denim before so they can hardly be accused of copying. Take a look at their 2018 card. It’s an okay photo, I thought the Jordan one was more interesting but the kids look cute enough.
This kids are adorable and the parents look superfluous.
I wonder if they think going with a Christmas theme looks too cheesy. Does Will refuse to theme dress because Kate obviously has no problem with it? It’s a nice snapshot but C&C always beat them in the card pictures and without all the cute children to carry it along.
M&H were denim last year, so this year it must be denim for the Wails.
If I recall, the tabloids (as usual) made an issue of the Sussexes wearing denim in their Christmas card photo and even snarked about it being a denim ad for the GAP.
but the cambridges’ picture the year before that was also denim…like this isn’t the first time they’re doing denim. they did it even before the sussexes.
The Cambridges have worn jeans before which is why the criticism about the Sussexes card last year was always just stupid. But I think in past years they were sitting so it didn’t scream WE’RE IN DENIM.
Remember the Ralph Lauren “Ad” they did for their 10th anniversary (I *think* that was it): They were romping on a reedy beach, Kate in a fedora (shades of Meghan!), with the kids?
Here, the heir and the heir squared are *both* in Polo, but not Louis (or Char). And it just BUGS me that George is *always* held by W, and Kate has Louis… and Char…well….maybe she’s *lucky* that her parents leave her be! lol. Could be her salvation!
If Harry and Meghan’s 2022 xmas card shows them in instagram dog ears filter, and the Camb’s copy that next year, I will die of joy.
Charles and camilla’s card definitely feels more christmassy but the only thing i can focus on it that it’s a picture where camilla seems to be looking adoringly at her husband. Now people might find that cute but these 2 make me nauseous so my mind immediately went to that this picture must stroke charles’ ego.
And as for cheesy. Remember the card from a few years back where they went full country vibes? Logs in the background and everything? THAT was cheesy. Plus kate loves a good theme. No i don’t think it has anything to do with finding it cheesy.
That bugged me, too, the Nancy Reagan-style adoring look at the husband. I’m sure Charles loves that photo.
Yes! That was what struck me as well!
If you zoom in or have a look at the original on Getty images she’s not actually looking at Charles, her eyes are focused on someone sitting behind him.
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/prince-charles-prince-of-wales-and-camilla-duchess-of-news-photo/1420578998?phrase=Braemar&adppopup=true
There’s lots of pics of them gazing adoringly at each that day, plus much laughing with Princess Anne so they had plenty to choose from if that had be the vibe they were after. I think it’s just a really nice candid shot of them.
This. People always assume that any pic with cute kids will win, and the kids are indeed cute and it’s nice to watch them grow. But Charles and Camilla – whoever it is that picks their photo for the card, always hits the right tone for it, and it’s usually quite a nice photo.
That said, it would have been forward thinking for Charles to have set up a pic with all his grandkids during the jubbly – but they were too concerned with shafting a 1 year old. Not saying H&M would have agreed to its use for their Christmas card, but I am surprised there wasn’t that PR effort.
The kids all look super cute.
It’s a good picture. The only shade I can throw is to acknowledge this is the one thing they do quite well.
Kids are great but I’m so distracted by her weird proportions and terrible jeans. I don’t get it – skin tight jeans is an odd choice for a Christmas card and she paired them with such an uptight shirt. She looks a little like a bobble head. Would love to see her in a trouser jean to balance her body better. Those jeans are just odd.
I agree with Josephine. Sure, the kids are cute, but Kate looks shrink-wrapped in those jeans! And why such a cutie-pie tucked-in white blouse? The proportions are so off in that outfit.
I think a different shirt with Kate (or different shoes) would have made SUCH a huge difference. a more casual sweater in a softer cream maybe or something. IDK. Her outfit stands out too much. Maybe that was the point.
Standing out is always the point with Kate. Even before copy-keening. White blouse, white shoes, when everyone else is wearing blue/navy. Don’t know if she realizes it actually makes her look out of place with her own family.
The kids are really cute, however.
Skin-tight skinny jeans with a tucked in button down is such a bad look for 99% of the population, proportion wise. It’s definitely not the look for Kate… maybe someone very tall and willowy like Karlie Kloss could pull it off, but even then. Kate would look so good (and more up to date) in some slim cut straight jeans, like 501’s, with a slightly higher waist and longer inseam.
That blouse is over $400 Canadian. It’s just not that spectacular.
So it’s definitely the usual time for their Christmas card, but we all knew they’d break out the children for distraction, lol.
The Fail crowed that “William and Kate put on a display of palace perfection with sunny Christmas card featuring George, Charlotte and Louis” and claimed this was stark contrast to Harry and Meghan’s portrayal of the family.
Lol…so desperately obvious fed lines. Will is looking away, Kate seems to be pulling away from Louis, almost like she is tacked on last minute, and of course it’s obvious the Wails don’t stand near each other if they can help it. Poor kids are clearly the buffer. This pic proves Harry right, imo.
Idk, a lot of people use summer vacation photos for their Christmas cards, so the fact that the season/setting/colors aren’t Christmas-y doesn’t bother me. What makes me weirdly uncomfortable is how William is the only one not looking at the camera.
@Ginny I came on to say the same thing about William not looking at the camera. I think it’s a a lovely photo of the kids. If William didn’t want to look at the camera maybe the palace could have gone with a picture of the children?
Yeah, for the last few years ours have been summery because we got them done in September when we have kid’s birthdays but this year we didn’t have the time so it was late November so I went more holiday but only a little, with background stuff. The thing I can’t stop looking at is Pegs braided belt on jeans that just reminds me of every dude in my high school in the 90’s. That and it looks more like a grimace than a smile.
That’s because it’s more like he’s baring his teeth, not smiling (which *never* reaches his eyes). He has the unfortunate Windsor Horse Teeth which are way too big for his small mouth. (Poor Bea has the same teeth).
Yeah, we always use pics from our travels, so they are mostly summer/autumn. I actually find the photos taken *specifically* for a holiday card to be a little creepy? (But I know that’s just me.) But the non-Christmas theme doesn’t bother me.
The timing of their release is hilarious though – if they usually do it around the 9th/10th, they obviously had to wait this year since that’s when H&M vol. I dropped, and they probably released it Tuesday to get ahead of Vol. II dropping. I kind of love that they know there will be wall-to-wall coverage of H&M series, so they needed to time their card release so it didn’t get entirely buried in the H&M press.
If only they hadn’t been feeding H&M to the wolves all along, they wouldn’t have to fight so hard for coverage now…
Y’all did this to yourselves, W&K, and karma’s a b*tch.
At first glance I thought, eh, cute, whatever.
but the more i look at it the more it seems disconnected. they can’t quite get the outfit coordination right. In these kinds of pictures, you all need to coordinate (in a casual, almost effortless way, Pinterest is of great use here, lol) or no one needs to coordinate (but in a way that doesn’t clash.) In the picture from last year, Kate, Will and George seem to coordinate while Charlotte and Louis coordinate with each other.
This year, the children and william coordinate and Kate, even though she’s also in jeans, stands out bc of the white top and white shoes. Darker shoes (navy flats or something) would have helped a great deal in my opinion. Also, there is just SO much visual space between Kate and William.
oh well, at least William isn’t wearing his trusty blue sweater or his blue suede shoes.
The outfits would probably be less distracting if they looked normal while taking a walk instead of looking like a pose with everybody lined up and told to smile. A family walking wouldn’t normally be lined out like that. It looks fake.
“We’re off to see the Wizard,
The wonderful Wizard of Oz!”
Couldn’t help myself.
Great, thanks, now that song is going to be stuck in my head the rest of the day.
Guess its better than “Jitterbug.” (I’m literally in the midst of directing Wizard of Oz at my kids school, LOL, so all the songs just go through my head on a rotating basis.)
@Brassy Rebel, I was thinking “Sound of Music” with the matching curtain outfits.
To me it reads “On our way to peek over the wall at Frogmore Cottage while H&M and the kids are in town.” I think this pic was taken at Windsor too.
They haven’t released a family photo with this much space between William and Kate ever. What a time to do it.
And it is bizarre that they couldn’t find a photo where William is looking in the same direction as the rest.
William actually does look like he’s posing for a denim commercial instead of for a family christmas card
Waiting for the mail to enlist a body language expert…
Well the sun has and…The truth behind the smiles. Hidden signs Kate and William are ‘tense’ in Christmas card photos. Lol
It could be that Will was checked out during the whole shoot. Or it could be that there were photos where he was looking at the camera, but Kate passive aggressively chose this one for the card because it’s a truer portrait of what’s real behind the scenes.
All I thought when I saw it was more boring blue again.
Perhaps Will has spotted another innocent passerby, whom he believes shouldn’t be on a public footpath anywhere near them, and is about to start swearing his angry head off and shouting for security. The word “detached” comes to mind. What an odd set up. It looks like the kind of photo (very few) friends and family will look back on and say, “that’s when it became obvious they were done for….”
I quickly read that Sun article. I do not, do not, like how they wrote that PG is the one taking over Wills’ role of “leading and motivating” the family for the pic. So now Wills can’t even lead his family, George has to take that role on???? At his age??? If he can’t lead the family then the country is doomed for him to lead the country. And their 2019 is way better but again looks strained.
I remember the press said something similar during the Queen’s funeral, to the extent that we needed to see George and Charlotte to help provide some guidance and reassurance to the populace. Which if I recall correctly was immediately derided as, if they are looking to someone under 10 to provide reassurance to the country they are in bad shape. I really fear for those kids, the oldest two are very close to the age where they are probably expected to make small talk with the media a la the ski scene.
It feels like the press pivoted very quickly from William to George. Like for years I feel like it was all about William as king, all the talk about skipping Charles and how William could save the Firm and whatever else we heard for the past 20-30 years. Now it seems we should just skip William bc its going to be George who saves the Firm and so on.
Right and they did the same with Wills when he was a boy. Unrealistic expectations and responsibility on the shoulder of one so young because Wills was a blank slate – much like George. Which will only cause George to become resentful.
If Harry and Meghan release a Christmas pic this year, maybe it’ll be from a snowy winter vacation. That way next year, the waleses will have a less summery feel. Sigh. The denim vibe recreated but still missing the mark. I mean technically I admire the consistency of the jeggings. She owns that.
But as someone once said “basic is not festive”🎄
I’m trying to look beyond the obvious issues that I can’t even type out and say that I love seeing these cute kids, BUT they are the ultimate buffer in a love-less marriage, which would be pretty obvious to the kids by now. Especially Peg’s smirk of “rather be anywhere else”. Why don’t they try to stand around the piano while mum pretends to play?
That’s pretty funny – the image of Kate at the piano and the fam around her for a card. They could have been in the back walking close together and the three kids in front in motion. This pic looks STRAINED.
302 and kids look theme dressed while Wails as usual looks different.
On a curious note, is there still an interest out there in the Wails’ kids? Frankly speaking, I’m bored anytime they pop up on my TL. Perhaps Luigi acting out was the only interesting part this year.
There’s definitely an interest in Charlotte and i don’t think it will die down. If anything as she gets older (and god forbid for when she starts dating) it will probably increase. Royal females tend to sell really well. Interest in george is dying down i think. But louis is still young and still has that baby cuteness to him.
I think there is still interest, I don’t think it necessarily means they sell papers/generate clicks the way they did 5 years ago.
People are going to be interested in them as they grow older, but I think the interest is going to be laser focused on Charlotte. It will be interesting to see how the press interest plays out. I’m assuming George will be protected, as William was, and i’m assuming Charlotte will be less so. But wonder how that will shake out between Charlotte and Louis.
I seriously doubt the firm would apply the same spare treatment to Charlotte as to Harry, mostly because she’s a female and she will eventually become the princess royal or duchess of Edinburgh or whatever…
First: they did it to Margaret, no reason they won’t do it to Charlotte.
how interesting can three elementary aged children actually be that aren’t your own? It isn’t like anyone is publishing their refrigerator art.
Overexposed and not interesting AT ALL
I like Chuck and Cam’s card. They aren’t the most attractive couple, but the photo conveys warmth. I’m guessing the other couple couldn’t duplicate that.
I think overall Charles and Camilla tend to pick better pics for their cards, they tend not to pick posed pictures that were done just for the cards, and I think that is why their pictures often come off better. Like I liked the pic a few years ago of Charles helping Camilla fix her face mask.
The Wales (almost) always have a new, fully posed picture that is clearly part of a full-on photo shoot, and there’s usually no warmth there. Because C&C use these moments that are part of public events, I think it ends up conveying more warmth and is actually almost more personal, in a way.
They have two very different approaches which is fine but I think C&C tend to come out on top.
@Becks1 Well said. I totally agree.
I think it helps that they look as if they like each other.
Agreed. And I should hope they look as if they like one another – they caused enough problems to be together they should at least look like it was worth all that effort.
Did anyone see the Mail coverage of this!?! Extremely interesting wording, focusing on emphasising that the photos of the kids are a ‘thank you’ to the public. Both reminding Wills and Kate of the invisible contract, whilst also berating H and M for not showing more pictures of their kids.
As someone else said recently, it’s very much giving tail wagging the dog at the moment.
I haven’t seen that! But just reading your summary gave me chills…ugh. These poor kids.
It’s an ok generic card photo. No one seems to do a Christmas themed card photo anymore. Every one I get is like family all in white linen tops sitting in the sand dunes or kids all in soccer uniforms with one holding the ball.
My mom has a big family beach vacation planned for next summer, and she’s getting a photographer session, and I asked if we were all going to wear white linen tops and she thought it was a GREAT idea and very original. So I think that’s what we’re doing now and I don’t have the heart to tell her 🤣🤣
@Becks1 – serves you right! 😆 😆 😆
@Becks1 🤣🤣🤣
We do photo cards usually and it’s often a professional shot from a vacation, well, pre Covid it was. Or everyone at Thanksgiving. This year, I have nothing, so probably just Mr R and I by the decorated front door again. If I hurry up and make that happen. Sometimes I wait until Christmas and make it a happy new year card instead.
My condolences, Becks! 😂
Terrible photo. It’s like William’s looking out of the frame at his other family off to the side, waiting for their turn at a “happy” family photo. Why isn’t he looking at the camera? It gives such a vibe of ‘he’s already gone, he doesn’t know these people well, he doesn’t like them enough to look at them, they’re all out of sync,’ etc. So bizarre.
Plus the copy-keener strikes again. I guess W&K fans (who trashed the Sussexes last year) are suddenly okay with jeans in a Christmas card 🙄 How many examples do we have of Meghan being just massacred in the press/online for something…only for Keen to do it the following week? It’s gotta be up to about a million by now. These two are so pathetic. Will they ever just do their own thing?
@sussexwatched that’s why even though I know she won’t ( because she’s classy) but I WaiSH Meghan would call out the weird copykeening and the way that’s led to attacks on her. Sometimes K does it subtly where she’d wait a few months before she copies one of M’s outfits (like how she did at the start of this year with back-to-back copykeening) and sometimes it’s outright and clear but both times, it’s always left Meghan being attacked for “daring to copy the future queen” (🙄). But I think (and I hope) more people are beginning to point that out right? Thats what I’ve noticed
I think William & the kids looked connected, it’s Kate who’s the odd one out. She’s pushed off the edge, almost walking in the grass, while all the kids are physically closer to William.
In the vogue article online, the photo literally cuts most of her out of it.
The kids are really cute. The parents are out of step with them, make what you will of that. George is going to be even taller than Pegs.
K’s proportions look odd. Why does Pegs own those outdated jeans? They belong in the 90’s.
How old are each of the kids in this photo? They are all so gorgeous! I don’t get the summer theme for Xmas though — just odd to me.
depending on when it was taken, but most likely 9 (george), 7 (Charlotte) and 4 (Louis).
Thank you! @Becks1 🙏🏼
What would it take to get a real smile and not a grimace out of lord Peggy a lot? He looks constantly constipated ? These two can’t have one original though coming out of those hair follicles
Last year the UK 🤡 press pack called the Sussex’s Christmas card ‘Gap chic’ and ‘Ralph Lauren campaign’.
Today’s papers- ‘royal stroll’, ‘smiling through’, ‘stroll in the sun’! Bias, not much……..
That’s rich, considering William’s wearing a Ralph Lauren shirt–can’t miss that polo player logo!
Honestly I think this is one of their better cards. Colour coordinating (in blue as usual) works here and I think if Kate wore blue too it would be too matchy matchy for me.
I did notice the space between everyone and it just makes the photo feel a little… empty? Disjointed? But I guess some space is going to be there since they’re walking and not sitting down together.
I’m kind of a nerd re: noticing the patterns. Here, each person retains one color from the person before, generating both connection and diversity as we move from Peggy to Keen.
But also….. both Peggy and Keen connect to George through the navy… other kids are not connected to both parents through color.
I think noticing patterns the way you do is pretty cool, MoBiMom. Definitely not nerdy.
I agree that this is one of their better photos but it definitely lacks spontaneity! It shows that they posed for it.
@Pumpkin ITA with you that something about the spacing is strange. Obviously xmas photos are usually posed, but this is SO posed (if that makes sense) and I agree that there’s just something ‘off’ about it. They’re all standing so far away from each other, George and Charlotte are the only ones who look happy, William can’t manage to look in the direction of his wife or children, Kate stands out (in an oddly negative way)…idk, I guess “disjointed” was the perfect way to put it. It’s just…not good.
I think it would look a lot better if one of them was looking at the kids and laughing or something. this pose is pretty common for family photos IME- the family walking along holding hands – but usually a good photog makes sure there is something there that makes the picture more interesting – swinging a child, laughing, something that shows affection among the family and some interaction. this picture is trying to mimic this popular/typical family pose but fails bc it ends up looking…..well, like they’re off to see the wizard as someone said above.
According to the press release that went with this photo it was taken in Norfolk not Windsor. And I’m buying into the conspiracy theory that the press yanked William’s chain and told him to release the Christmas card before Vol. II. My suspicion is bolstered by a defence of William and Kate put out by Becky English on twitter for why it’s so wonderful that the Cambridges do this and that they’re not forced to do it as Harry and Meghan claim.
Looks like a Gap ad
My eyes were immediately drawn to Kate’s very thin legs. Have they been photoshopped to look thinner than usual or is this really how thin she has become?
I agree with all the other comments made about the children as buffers, not looking at the camera etc.
I think many people predicted the Wails’ would release a picture or do an appearance with the children to try and shift focus from the Netflix documentary. I’m sure they will also take George and Charlotte to the Carol service tomorrow.
Kate has always been thin, though in her twenties she had some chubbiness to her face. Her legs look fine to me. Muscular even. Not dangerously thin. Meghans legs look skinnier (and i am saying this as someone who loves meghans legs and wish she would show them more sometimes)
Meghan has great legs. I have major leg envy of Meghan. And teeth. She has great teeth. This is a weird thing to post, I know, but it’s what I think almost every time I see a photo of her.
Yes, in the early days when they were courting, Kate’s legs were her best asset. But now for some reason she has lost so much weight everywhere.
The only thing I don’t like is how the skintight pants put emphasis on her (yes, amazingly toned) legs. The billowy, tucked in blouse makes them look even tighter by comparison.
I can’t unsee how short her legs are.
I actually do think her waist has been photoshopped to make it look more slender if you look at the rather fuzzy area around that part of the photo compared to the clarity everywhere else.
I think she’s been scary thin for several decades but the thinness seems worse the last two or three years. Even with her passive aggressive hostility, I always think about how Meghan implied in the Oprah interview that she was willing to give her grace because of how terrible things are for Kate and I don’t think she just meant the press intrusion.
@Cerys, it’s so funny how differently people perceive things because while I usually think Kate looks deathly thin, I thought that in this picture it looked like they actually (possibly) photoshopped her legs in order to make them *not* so stick-thin.
There are some pictures of her in jeggings where she just about disappears, but I think she actually looks somewhat healthy here. I can’t lie, I’m jealous of her thigh gap, but what’s with the Mom Jeans that Kate is sporting here??
Fleur & Lorelei. I agree with you both in different ways. Like Fleur says, Yes, her legs are thin and much thinner than they used to be. But sadly we are used to them looking even thinner in real life. Here they look bigger than usual IMO. She must be so scarily thin that the photographer has worked to make them look just “thin”. Like Lorelei, I suspect they’ve been edited to look bigger, which is shocking considering they still look thin. Someone above has posted that this is an irresponsible picture for teens with eating disorders. I agree. I don’t particularly care that I’ll be shouted down for body shaming. I’ve had anorexia. My friend’s daughter is going thru it. One of her idols is Kate Middleton. OK, if she were naturally very slender, fine. But we know she wasn’t like this before and that she has been vanishing before our very eyes as their marriage has progressed. Like someone else has posted, I suspect some of Meghan’s (un warranted) niceness towards Kate during the Oprah interview may have been because she isn’t well.
I think some of that is related to the photo catching kate walking and the flex in the muscle in that movement being captured.
wow the kids are so big now! i like it and the kids are adorable. this seems the most casual and the least rehearsed out of all of their Christmas cards. I even like Kate’s outfit. I feel like she does casual sporty the best out of all the outfits she wears.
Jeez. Buttons is practically shoved onto the lawn. This looks like the placeholder photo that comes in a newly bought picture frame.
I agree about the stock photo vibe. I saw it and heard Hans from The Burbs say, “It came with the frame.”
YEARS ago I bought a really cute frame, and the photo in it was a mom and her children. It was a great photo, and for years I kept trying to find just the right picture of me and the kids to put in there. One day I finally did and the kids asked what happened to the other photo, they were so used to that family being in that frame & they missed it. So now that stock photo is still in the frame, all these years later lol.
To those who don’t fall for the narrative pushed that FK and FQC can do no wrong – this picture looks posed and not very natural. I get it IT IS POSED, but lining up the kids in birth order and everyone in blue is so unoriginal. I wonder if Ma Middleton gives Kate ideas so they can appeal to the masses in seeming “just like them”. Maybe a nice pic of them working an event and then a family pic. But this just looks off and very try hard while coming across lazy at the same time. No imagination.
Ma Midds and family are exactly ‘like the hoi polloi. Old ladies used to comment that someone had a ‘common face’. I know exactly what this means. Carole Middleton. I don’t mind all people but I hate the grasping pushy way she climbed to as she thinks ‘the Top’.
Their cards the last few years seem so disjointed. Like everyone is as far apart as possible and doing the bare minimum… I don’t know. It’s okay but to me doesn’t exude warmth. I actually think their cards from 3-4 years ago were better.
The timing though…a day after Harry says “they lied to protect William” kinda screams invisible contract even though it’s similar every year. I’ve already seen a few comments about this and the press playing the good family/bad family angle. Just don’t know if enough people will catch it or they are too brainwashed
What the press playing subconsciously is basically the “good ” white/” bad” biracial family angle…
@polo This lines up well with Rose bushes and separation though.
OMG this looks like a cheap Boden ad – they’ve down graded from the previous Barbour inspired one. LOLz
I dunno about you guys but I am looking forward to Chuck’s first Christmas broadcast as King – his reign has NOT got off to a good start.
And whose pictures will be there as he gives the speech.
I think I saw a pic from the recording and its just a framed photo of his mother.
@Becks1: KCIII showing good judgment there. He has these little spates of rationality.
Since he became King he has had pictures of the Sussexes prominently displayed in his apartments.
Very much not a racist? gotcha. That thing about Susan Racist and Ms. Fulani? Forgotten.
I think the newly minted Wales are doing a Beatles thing, where Sir Pegs-a-lot is always looking away because he’s not really alive—or he’s at least not part of the family anymore. It’s subliminal, but it’s there!
The card and the picture are fine. The issue is that the Wails can’t convey any natural warmth or connection. And that’s what Harry and Meghan do effortlessly . That quality is on display in loads of photos – not just with family .
That’s why (well, one reason) I’m drawn to H & M.
Not to be annoying but every person in this photo has different shadows on the ground. Maybe that’s why it feels so weird to look at?
Sorry, I didn’t beat the comment time-out to clarify. Kate and Louis have totally different shadows that William and the two big kids. And Charlotte and Louis aren’t holding hands. This is so weirdly edited for an official photo?
I’m not picking up any inconsistencies in the shadows. The sharpest one is coming from Kate’s left leg and where she Louis are holding hands, but all the others fall at the same angle but blend together because of how the people are aligned.
– from Kate’s *right* leg, on the left in the photo-
I got that odd vibe as well. When I looked more closely, Louis’ right arm is very strange and G&C are looking in a different direction- it looks like he and Kate were photoshopped into the picture. Also, is Louis wearing the exact same shirt from last year’s photo!
Yes, the shadows really got me wondering, and Louis hand, weird photo.
I’m sure Kate and Louis were photoshopped into this photo. The edges of her clothes are very crisp plus the added shadows look false. I’m a graphic artist and use Photoshop all the time.
The shadow thing is neither here nor there. They’re walking in dappled sunlight, which is difficult to photograph in in part because of the differing shadows.
Looonnnggg torso – there are ways to make it not so obvious and those jeans are not one of those ways.
My god, YES! Those skin tight pants do her no favors, especially paired with a loose, tucked in blouse. She’d look miles better with a slimmer top and looser fit pants to give her the illusion of curves. Even the blindingly white shoes look silky. Some sleek flats would have been better. It’s pretty bad when Charlotte dresses better.
Her proportions in this picture are so bizarre, I agree. Also, why are the kids in shorts and the parents are in jeans and long-sleeve tops? Those jeans she has on look so hot.
George is going to be so tall! The kids are cute. Kate looks pretty & sunny here. William doesn’t look happy- does he not know how to smile properly?
Does feel like this was released now before volume 2 drops especially with the pointed commentary from the Fail about it. The invisible contract being oh so visible & trapping
What is the fail saying?
Children look good. I don’t care for the others much. Charles caused lots of problems and the way he treated the sussexes at the time of mourning was gross.
It’s fine. Basic? Yes, absolutely. But that’s kind of their brand. And I agree that getting everyone to look/ smile at the same time is challenging enough, let alone a walking shot like this. It’s certainly a step up from the colonizers on holiday from last year!
….they chose the one with him looking away? Lol.
I think it captured Wills PERFECTLY. He likes to look away from a lot of things – his pics, his brother, his wife, his responsibilities…….
Seriously, it looks like he’s looking for an escape? Haha.
If you barely work and have all the time and resources and money in the world to create decent Christmas card shot for the world to see, I don’t think the “oh well getting a shot where everyone looks into the camera is always so hard” works. The kids didn’t have a problem with it, LOL.
Louis is the one without the toothy grin, not George. But this seems fine to me – pretty much their trademark blandness.
Even with the jeans on the Wales photo looks stiff, compared to the Sussex kids’ images on the docuseries. Archie and Lili look like kids, going through milestones (1st birthday and learning to walk), running, riding on Daddy’s shoulders, kissing Mommy, talking about a dirty foot, not in matching clothes. The Christmas card looks like an ad.
It’s a pretty good card. I always dreaded family photo time with my kids, TBH. It’s so hard to get them dressed in outfits that go well together, get them to sit or stand still (or walk, in this case) and smile, look at the camera at the same time, etc. Don’t even get me started on large extended family group photos. My two sisters-in-law are obsessed with them.
So while it’s not a great picture I think it’s fine. The kids are cute. Everyone looks more or less in sync. I do think the summery theme is weird. Yes, Harry and Meghan did denim and cotton shirts, but they live in California. It’s usually sunny and it doesn’t snow on the coast. The Cambridges are in England. Why not go for a more traditionally Christmas-y look?
Char is going to be a pistol, I think. She seems confident and smart and she’s pretty, All eyes will be on her.
The kids look like sumnertime, breezy and cool. The adults look like autumn with long pants and sleeves. Peg looks so heavy in all dark blues, like he got the part of Hamlet in the school play (after bullying the teacher in charge).
Lou isn’t holding Char’s hand. Her hand is empty. That’s fine for a “normal” walk, but it breaks the connection/line in this planned image. Lou will not be managed.
Whoever said Kate should’ve worn navy blue shoes was spot on. Her feet look huge in white, contrasted against her very thin legs. Her shirt is cute, though.
I would’ve put Lou in the middle—height symmetry would’ve been better. Maybe George holdibg Kate’s hand and Char holdibg Peg’s. Mix it up a little.
I have skinny calves and ankles but big feet, and I never wear white shoes for that reason. Maybe strappy sandals in the warm weather with a nice pedicure, but certainly not chunky sneakers. It’s not a good look.
I also think the shirt is a little odd. Not the color, but the fact that it looks sort of like lace? A simple white shirt with no pattern, or maybe a subtle stripe, would have been more appropriate and sporty. I also think a longer shirt would have looked better with the skinny jeans than one that stops at the waist.
The real conspiracy is why does she keep wearing jeggings????
Does she have a financial connection to Big Jegging? They are literally The Most Out Of Fashion style of jean there is
Hey, for moms in our 40s, skinny jeans will never fully go away, LOL.
Skinny jeans forever, baby!
Feel like there’s a slight difference bw skinny jeans and jeggings though.
There is a huge difference — jeggings don’t usually have a fly, pockets or a proper waist band, they are literally denim leggings. Skinny jeans typically have a waist band and pockets and a fly…and belt loops.
These aren’t jeggings. They are ankle length skinnies which are not “in style” by any means, but they aren’t jeggings.
This is…not it. The wide spacing of everyone, especially the parents, is telling. Everyone is wearing a blue top except Kate who is wearing white (for purity? to stand out from her fam? to match her favorite tiara?).
Imagine if they were cuddled up on a couch and the kids were laughing and they looked like an actual family and not models hired for a photoshoot.
Yes in the past they have been sitting closer together and it looks much better. This looks distant, especially with William looking outside of the frame.
It’s so weird this is what they went with.
I always make fun of British tabloid body language ‘experts’, but Peggy’s body language really does give him away. Every time.
We have the usual “Harry and Megan bad”, for wearing denim last year, and “William and Kate great for looking casual in denim”, but sorry, the obvious difference is that Harry, meghan and their children looked happy together in their card, but in this one the children look happy, but prince peg and botox barbie look as if they feel the further apart they are the better! And Prince peg REALLY looks as if he’d rather be somewhere else. Maybe the rumour about their latest move being Kates separation cottage are true. I just hope it hasn’t got a ROSE garden
Yeah they really are copying the Sussexes, lol. From the jeans, to the “action pose” instead of the stiff Sears portrait style.
At a glance, it seems like a lovely family photo, and gives a happy family impression. The summer setting is beautiful. Generally people send pictures of the family to show how the kids have grown, and now people just take them any time during the year. I think years ago, people would take a “Christmas Picture” to send with the card, but not anymore. Everyone is smiling, even Louis, although not a toothy smile, and the children’s steps are in sync with each other. William and Kate’s steps seem in sync with each other, too. I like the summery feel and the blue and white colours more than the brown and olive colours of a couple of their past Christmas cards. There is a photo credit so taken by one of the royal photographers. I must say that Kate’s white runners do stand out.
To me, it looks like Kate and Louis were photographed and added in later. The heirs and spare are not throwing shadows and are holding hands…Louis and Kate are throwing shadows, slightly behind the others and only holding each others hand.
I actually don’t hate it.
The kids look so cute and they are all getting so tall!
I always think about Diana when I see a photo of the kids. So sad that they did not get to know her.
Little Louis looks like he’s up to something. And he’s not holding Charlotte’s hand and what is that hand about to do to her? Slap her on the behind?
I think W&K go with traditional Xmas photos.
Lots of families with young kids use their vacation pics as Xmas cards.
After all most folks look at the pics to see how the kids have grown. I do anyhow.
I live in MN, we have tons of winter weather, let me see someone who had a summer vacation. lol
william literally has wandering eyes lol
Exactly, I’ve just commented on this below.
I hate Kate’s apparent obsession with thinness. I actually think this photo of her — with the thigh gap in jeggings — is harmful. Teens with eating disorders will recognize what’s in this photo.
She needs an intervention.
The kids are beautiful though.
I absolutely agree, QuiteContrary. I fully believe that she has disordered eating. Airbrushing and photoshopping someone who is unnaturally thin for her body type (as we saw for years before her marriage) is very irresponsible IMO. When more lightly edited photos slip thru, showing her prematurely aged skin and hair enhanced by wigs, people are shocked. But those photos are the reality of what disordered eating does to your body. I actually believe her photos here have been edited to make her look slightly bigger than she is, which is shocking. I don’t like the woman, but she has my sympathy on this issue and I hope she is getting all the help in the world.
Same, sparrow.
Imagine the good she could do if she got help and then used her platform to discuss disordered eating. First of all, though, she needs to get help.
I think she is under a lot of strain. Her husband. Her inability to find a role apart from clothes horse and hair mannequin. Her fear of the Sussexes.
I guess I’m out of touch with Xmas card trends but I always thought the point was to gather the family around the tree in ugly sweaters, not just pick some random vacation shot.
Anyway, I bet H&M will put out a very seasonal card and W&K will then copy that next year.
1. George is tall
2. Will and Kate don’t realize this and probably won’t ever realize it but Harry and Meghan are doing Charlotte and Louis a favor. They’re making it easier for them to carve out their own paths and they are putting a spotlight on what it’s like to be the “spare” and how expendable you’re considered.
I’m pretty sure I recently saw a photo of Princess Leonor wearing the same outfit as Kate, but Leonor is 17
William and Kate both come from a family where affection was likely rarely shown (and it shows).
They’re both stilted and awkward, and look as if they’ve both never fully inhabited their bodies, I get that this is their public persona, but I also suspect it’s not far off how they really are.
Sad thing is, they’re willingly passing this legacy to their own children and whereas Harry had his grand parents and a few members of the family he could be himself with after Diana’s death, the Cambridges seem VERY isolated….
Oh l.dont know Flower l had a brilliant idealistic childhood but was never Kissed or hugged, like ever but none of my friends did either , maybe it’s an Irish thing but l knew l was loved and it didn’t bother me in de least however l kiss and hug my own children all de time ! This picture is beyond boring, dull and unimaginative like de parents, von Trapps spring to mind !!!
@Kit I am not saying that the kids are unloved – rather that both parents are not really into affection (much like your own experience).
And yes they could buck the trend but that whole family seem stiff and checked out.
Awww…nothing says Christmas like Peggings and Jeggings in denim. BaRF.
Enough about them let’s talk about me. My Christmas card had pics from our summer vacations. Not a hint of winter in it. That said, no one over there gets the irony of them all being in denim after last years freak out calling the Sussexes photo a Gap ad. One of the Scandi royals also took a family photo all in denim last year so they’re not even the first copiers. Those jeggings look very dated now but gotta show the legs off. It’s a nice safe picture, especially since normcore is their thing.
The kids are cute. Kate always strikes me as giving off an awkward “sister-wife” type vibe/style — it’s the super conservative dressing all the time — long sleeves, long coats and/or long dresses (or long coat dress), fully buttoned up. Like, in this picture, if she unbuttoned the next button on her shirt, she would look way more relaxed and it wouldn’t be revealing at all.
Who/where is William looking at? Everyone else has eyes forward but not him. Perhaps Rose was jogging by on the other side of the road.
It’s because Kate picks the Christmas cards based solely on how good she looks in them. William looking away or the kids squinting are irrelevant. It was super obvious last year, but this year it’s clear, too.
I like it?
The kids are adorable, the parents look like they are in 2 different photos.
C’mon guys, it’s an official Xmas card with the kids.
Nobody looks at the grown ups, except to say “Oh, he’s gone bald or she’s gained weight”
Well, my family at least. lol
Got everybody in the pic, the kids look good = done.
IRL, getting a good photo for Xmas cards can be a hassle + one more chore.
The phrase “herding cats” is about right.
And, they had to find a pic that is boring, that’s kinda their thing. lol
I have 3 years of Xmas photos in which Dad has his eyes closed, in every pic we took. He thinks he’s so dang funny, he admitted to doing it on purpose because he got big laughs from the kids. 🙂
W&K + kids are required to play “Happy Families” constantly. I’d be grinding my teeth too.
I do think the early years in any marriage are the easiest, W&K were probably happiest when they were newlyweds living in a town in Scotland? I think it was Scotland, off the constant PR radar for a few years. I don’t think their marriage is better/worse than anyone else, marriage is a tough gig.
It was Wales. They lived there and never bothered to learn the language or become part of the community.
Yeah, they were in a town in Wales where William was stationed, but apparently Kate still spent most of her time in London or with her parents.
Camilla is slightly out of focus.
Looking forward to Princes Harry and Archie and Princesses Meghan and Lilibet dressed in royal attire with Tiaras and medals etc in front of a gold Sleigh singing “We wish you a Merry Christmas!”
I think if they had put the children in front of them and Fails and Wails standing together behind them this would have worked better. Especially, if they walked and talked and they were involved with each other. Do you have to have full face photos? It wouldn’t bother me if some were interacting, and we only saw the side of the faces. This photo is okay. I suppose they wanted to show their royalness by not being too familiar?
They all look so uncomfortable, except for Mumbles who loves the cameras.
And those jeggings, yikes! Somebody force-feed that chile a cheeseburger. Please.
I come here for the Meghan and Harry stories, I stay here for the Will and Kate shade!
Ha ha! I might put that up as a slogan on the fridge door.
We see these kids in pretty much the same clothes year after year. George at 18 will be photographed in blue shorts and either blue or green polo shirt. Same with Louis, how many of those shorts did she have the nanny buy?. I think she puts these kids in second hand clothes when it’s time to take pictures earmarked for public consumption. It’s condescending when people think they need to dress down so as not to offend the peasants
IDK…every card I get is a fall photo shoot, which is also out of season.
Picture is fine. Kids are cute. The only off putting thing is William taking up more than his share of sidewalk space, forcing Kate into the grass. Petty detail I guess.
Happy that Charlotte is finally not wearing a scratchy / starched dress. All the kids look good.
I feel nothing for “cute kids.” Except, for these kids, pity. So this kind of propaganda does less than nothing for me.
Why do they insist on never having pictures that are slightly Christmas-y or wintry? This is particularly tone deaf when Britain’s going through a really rough winter. And isn’t he the future head of the Church of England? Not that they’ve ever been the tiniest bit ethical — it was founded by a man who murdered two of his wives and thousands of his subjects. Elizabeth II was probably the least-bad of them, and she wasn’t great. Still, it makes no sense for them to try to have a “secular” Christmas picture, let alone a summery one.
Kate seemingly believes the focus should always be on her and that she is always the most important person, no matter who else is there. The other 4 are dressed in muted colors and casual clothes,whilst she is dressed like an outsider with her bright white shirt and tight jeggings. There are no visuals depicting a closeknit “perfect” famiy, its just another photo opportunity for Kate to make the photo about herself.
Kate’s obsession with with being center stage could be telling and problematic for Charlette as Charlette grows up!
Kate really need to stop wearing those crotch gripping leggings, period.
They are not attractive. Looks like she has insect legs.
Samir Hussein took the picture of Chuck and Cam and even though I hate them I think it’s a really great picture of them. William and Kate look like bookends in the Cambridge pic but the kids are very cute.
It’s so obvious who the bad press tips to the rags were from. If it wasn’t so, why are they trying to copy everything H&M do? They’re embarassing and need to carve out their own identity.
It looks like you get lots of comments on your royal posts so i get why you put them up but sometimes there are a lot to wade through for us antiroyalists.