BEHIND THE LENS OF THE ROYAL CHRISTMAS CARDS

Every picture tells a story, as experts reveal the messages behind the family’s festive greetings down the years

- REBECCA RUSSELL

The festive season came early for royal fans with the release of the images to be used on this year’s Christmas cards.

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s chosen photograph paid tribute to their landmark coronation year, but it was the Prince and Princess of Wales’s festive family portrait that had everyone talking.

In the elegant black and white shot, taken in Windsor by photographer Josh Shinner, the royal couple proudly pose alongside their sons Prince George, 10, and Prince Louis, five, as their daughter Princess Charlotte, eight, sits at the front of the group, with Louis resting his hand on the arm of her chair.

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond says that although the card may have more of an “official” feel than others we have seen in recent years, it cements the family’s modern approach to royal life and Prince William’s journey in particular. Speaking exclusively to OK!, Jennie says, “William and Kate’s cards have always expressed one dominant theme: family love.

“They are a real team, and this year’s card — trendily in black and white — shows them as close as ever and dressed down in trousers or jeans and white shirts.

“It’s very classic. Very modern. Very relatable. They are a very tactile family, who are so often touching one another and showing a lot of love.”

While royal fans were quick to comment on everything from how much the children have grown to who they most resemble, Jennie thinks that one detail is particularly revealing.