It’s that time of year again – Prince William and Kate Middleton have officially released their annual family Christmas card!
While the reaction has been noticeably more positive than the response Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s cards have received in previous years (which shouldn’t surprise anyone,) that hasn’t stopped some fans from sharing a few pointed criticisms across social media. Keep reading for more info…
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Prince William And Kate Middleton Share 2025 Christmas Card
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared their Christmas card on their official Instagram account on December 18th, captioned: "Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas." They also credited photographer Josh Shinner, and said the picture was taken in April 2025, which some people on social media took issue with. But more on that, later.
The image shows Prince William and Kate sitting casually on the grass alongside their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis – and they are surrounded by lush greenery and daffodils. The family are dressed in coordinated hunter green outfits, with an effortlessly relaxed, off-duty feel; perfect for the springtime, but there was nothing festive about it…
The Christmas card picture appears to be taken from the same photoshoot that produced Prince George and Prince Louis' recent birthday portraits, which eagle-eyed royal watchers were quick to point out and, quite frankly, criticize.
Negative Fan Reactions
Although there was a plethora of positive comments for the family, they were mixed with slightly more critical ones, with people commenting on everything from the location of the shoot, the timing of it, and Prince William's expression.
"Ah yes, daffodils. The flowers of Christmas," quipped one Reddit user. "That's strange. They have the time and money. They could get several photoshoots if they wanted. Can't be that difficult to do one Christmas photoshoot," thought a second, as a third chimed in: "This picture is giving Easter. Not Christmas. It's a lovely photo of them but come on at least festive."
"At least take some pictures with a more appropriate background if you only want to shoot once. It's not a great pic of any of them - can't imagine what the others were like if this is the best of them," echoed a fourth, as a fifth slammed: "I don't get how they live in castles with picture-perfect castle backdrops for Christmas and they use a Spring picture?"
"Why not a recent pic?" asked a sixth. "If this was the Sussex family they'd be screaming divorce already," noted a seventh, as an eighth said: "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."
"William looks like he's in pain," observed a ninth, which fans felt was understandable, given the "difficult" year, to quote one royal expert, he's had navigating his father and wife's respective health battles alongside ongoing family tensions. "I'm surprised by the poor quality. The kids look adorable but Kate looks kinda surprised and William is actively grimacing," concluded a tenth.
