Every year royal fans wait eagerly for the likes of King Charles and Queen Camilla, and Prince William and his family, to share their formal Christmas cards. The cards typically include a family portrait of some kind – and this year, the photo chosen by the Prince and Princess of Wales is especially poignant.
Earlier this year, William remarked that 2024 has been a 'brutal' one for the family, referring to both his father and his wife, Kate Middleton, being diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, after undergoing treatment and stepping away from the public eye for a while as she recovers, the Princess has now been given the all clear.
The news that Kate was cancer-free was shared in a short film in September on her and William's social media accounts, featuring clips of them together with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, spending time together in nature. Some scenes were filmed in a woods, others on a beach – and it's one of the shots of the family of five on the beach together than has been chosen for this year's Christmas card.
Posting the card on Instagram, Prince William and Kate Middleton shared well wishes for the festive period with their followers, writing: "Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas 🎄".
It seems especially poignant that they chose a photo of them laughing and looking close while celebrating Kate's recovery, perhaps suggesting that they're optimistic about the future.
The family are all wearing casual clothes in the picture too, giving a more relaxed and approachable feel.
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Will Warr, the photographer behind the photo, commented underneath the Instagram post sharing it too, writing, "An honor to have captured this year’s Christmas card photo for The Prince & Princess of Wales. ♥️"
During the film updating the public on her health, the Princess of Wales remarked that the "last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown."
Looking forward, she added, "Despite all that has gone before I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life."
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
