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Two royal Christmas cards featuring very different designs were released today – with Prince William and Kate opting for a family holiday photo while his father Prince Charles made a nod to the Covid pandemic.
A family holiday in the desert with Dad in shorts, the youngsters in their summer gear and Mum showing off her sunkissed glow is the theme for this year’s greeting from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who have delighted fans with a family portrait taken on a secret trip to Jordan earlier this year.
The Cambridges appear with their three children in the family snap. Kate looks glowing in a khaki dress, while Princess Charlotte looks all grown up as she perches on a stool in a gingham dress from Mango. Prince George beams as he poses in a £14.95 camo t-shirt from GAP and grey shorts.
Meawhile, Prince Louis sits cross-legged at the front in a stripey £32 polo shirt from Rachel Riley – a bigger version of the top Prince George wore from the brand during an official visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney when he was nine-months-old, as well as laceless slip-on sneakers by Hampton Canvas, which have been worn by both his older brother and sister.
It’s not been revealed exactly when the family travelled to Jordan, but the visit is likely to have taken place in the later part of the year when travel restrictions were relaxed.
During the summer, Jordan was on the amber list, meaning that after 19 July fully vaccinated arrivals into the UK did not have to quarantine, as long as they took a pre-departure test and a PCR test on day two and eight after coming home. On 4th October the pre-departure and day eight tests were scrapped.
No details of the visit would have been announced to the public at the time because it was a private family holiday, rather than an official royal tour.
Jordan holds a special significance for the family because the Duchess of Cambridge spent part of her childhood in the country where her father worked as a flight dispatcher for British Airways, and when William visited the Middle East in 2018 on an official tour, he spoke of their intention to come back with their children in the future.
The Cambridges were not the only royals to share their Christmas card today, with Prince Charles releasing an image of himself fixing the Duchess of Cornwall’s face mask at the races for his festive offering.
The picture, taken on the second day of Royal Ascot in June, shows the heir-to-the-throne, 72, helping his wife, 73, to adjust her face mask beside the racetrack.
The snap, which will be the Prince of Wales’ festive greeting this year, seems especially fitting in light of new restrictions requiring people in England to wear masks on public transport, shops and indoor public spaces such as post offices, theatres and hairdressers.
But it also depicts Charles as a loving husband to Camilla, whom he married in April 2005 after a love affair that lasted decades.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have delighted fans with the release of their 2021 Christmas card showing the family on holiday in Jordan earlier this year. Pictured, William and Kate with Charlotte (left), Louis (centre) and George (right)
Jordan holds a special significance for the family because the Duchess of Cambridge spent part of her childhood in the country where her father worked as a flight dispatcher for British Airways. Pictured, Kate as a young girl (left) with her father Michael and sister Pippa (right) in a photo previously made public. The Middleton family spent two and a half years in Jordan
Prince William visited Jordan in July 2018, shortly after the birth of their son Louis, and visited a spot where Kate had posed for a photo with her father and sister Pippa as a child
Supportive husband! Prince Charles chose a somewhat unusual image for his Christmas card, featuring himself and the Duchess of Cornwall at Royal Ascot. The image shows Charles helping his wife with her face mask, in a nod to the ongoing Covid pandemic
In his Christmas card, Prince Charles is dapper in a grey three-piece suit, which he paired with a white shirt, a smart lavender tie and a lilac pocket square.
As Camilla adjusts her white mask on her chin, Charles, who is already wearing his black face covering gently extends a hand to his wife’s cheek to help her fix the mask behind her ear.
The couple shared the sweet, intimate moment before mixing with crowds at the event.
The Cambridges’ Christmas card is a departure from their usual offering, which have in recent years been family snaps taken at their Norfolk home Amner Hall with a distinct English countryside feel – with cosy jumpers and boots to match.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are seated in the centre of the photo, grinning broadly.
Kate, her long brown locks cascading in curls down past her shoulders, has one hand resting on her husband’s knee, the other arm around George, eight, who is seated to her left.
Clearly relaxed, the mother-of-three is wearing a button-down dress with three-quarter length sleeves, which cinches in at the waist. The dress appears to be full length and falls well below her knees.
Prince George pictured at Taronga Zoo in Sydney aged nine months in April 2014, wearing his Rachel Riley polo shirt (left). Prince Louis was today pictured in a bigger version of the same shirt On holiday in Jordan, and also appeared to be wearing his brother’s hand-me-down blue trainers
George previously wore the shoes to watch his dad compete in the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy in 2018, pictured left. Right, Charlotte wore the same pair of shoes for her fourth birthday portrait in 2019
Next to her, a sun-kissed Prince William is dressed down in a khaki polo shirt, beige shorts and suede loafers. He has a hand on his wife’s knee and the other arm around his daughter Princess Charlotte, six, who is on his right.
In front of the couple is smiling Prince Louis, who is wearing navy plimsolls that match his sister’s.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared the photo on Instagram with the caption: ‘Delighted to share a new image of the family, which features on this year’s Christmas card.’
The couple released the photo almost a week earlier than last year, when it was leaked on social media before its official unveiling. Fans were delighted with the image, with several noting how grown-up the children look.
It’s a departure from the Cambridges’ usual Christmas cards, which have in recent years been family snaps taken at their Norfolk home Amner Hall. Pictured, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Christmas card from 2020
Prince William and Kate Middleton shared this photo on their Christmas card in 2019, which was leaked online. The family were seen posing around a vintage motorbike with a sidecar. It is not known where the photo was taken
For their first Christmas with Prince Louis, in 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose this casual photograph, taken in the grounds of Anmer Hall. George and Charlotte posed playfully on a fallen branch, with their arms around Prince William
One commented: ‘Beyond precious! So much love and joy in this picture. Thank you for sharing it with us all.’ Another wrote: ‘What a beautiful family photo. Thank you for sharing. It’s lovely to see the children.’
A third added: ‘I’m melting! Such a beautiful family.’
Prince William visited Jordan in July 2018, shortly after the birth of their son Louis, and visited a spot where Kate had posed for a photo with her father and sister Pippa as a child.
Kate did not join him because she was on maternity leave, but William stated his intention to come back with his family, saying: ‘We’ll have to bring the kids next time.’
During a speech, he said: ‘My wife Catherine is very sorry she cannot be here with me so soon after the birth of our son Louis, but her family remembers very fondly the almost three years she spent here as a child when her father worked for British Airways in Amman.
‘Catherine’s experience is not unique – the interchange between our two countries is real and deep: work, study, tourism and family links. Our historic ties and friendship are played out in the lives of thousands of people who consider both countries home.’
The couple released the photo almost a week earlier than last year, when it was leaked on social media before its official unveiling. Fans were delighted with the image, with several noting how grown-up the children look
Speaking to a charity boss during the visit, William said: ‘She loved it here, she really did. She is very upset that I am coming here without her.’
The Duchess of Cambridge learned Arabic, recited verses from the Quran and celebrated Ramadan when she attended nursery in Jordan.
Kate’s family moved to Jordan in May 1984 when she was aged two and her sister was just eight months old, after father Michael, a British Airways manager, relocated to the Jordanian capital of Amman for work.
Kate was in a class of 12, while the nursery looked after 100 chlidren aged three to five from Jordan, Britain, Japan, India, Indonesia and American.
In the morning, everyone was grouped together to learn Arabic before separating into different classes.
‘We would read one verse from the Quran to improve the children’s Arabic and tell stories about the Prophet’s companions, like Omar Bin Khattab. The idea was to reinforce concepts such as respect and love,’ her former teacher Sahera al Nabulsi previously told The National.
Earlier this week the Duchess of Cambridge hosted a carol service at Westminster Abbey, attended by Prince William (pictured) and senior members of the Royal Family
‘The teacher used to ask in Arabic, ‘Who is wearing red today?’ so that the children would recognise the colours,’ Ms al Nabulsi recalled.
The nursery founder would dress up as Santa Claus at Christmas to entertain the children, and celebrated Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan when a drummer would visit to entertain the children.
Children also enjoyed school trips twice a month to places of interest such as the Haya Cultural Centre.
Ms al Nabulsi recalled how Carole usually did the school run, but that Michael Middleton sometimes collected Kate in his work uniform
‘The kids used to get very excited and run to see him,’ she said.
After Michael’s work in Jordan came to an end, the family moved back to Berkshire where Kate spent the rest of her childhood.
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