When it comes to the custom of Christmas cards, King Charles has quite some footsteps in which to follow. Queen Elizabeth II set the benchmark, sending out 800 exquisitely printed cards each December, starting the mammoth task of signing them in the summer.
Featuring carefully posed portraits of herself, the Duke of Edinburgh and their growing family, the cards were eagerly anticipated by royal fans as they watched the family’s journey unfold.
As heir, Charles continued the tradition with his own distinctive flair. His first Christmas as King was commemorated with a formal yet warm portrait in 2022. Then, 2024 brought shared challenges: cancer diagnoses for Charles and the Princess of Wales. Undeterred, the King continued to embody resilience and duty, with the 2024 greeting showing him and the Queen arm in arm in the gardens at Buckingham Palace, facing adversity with grace.
As for their Majesty’s 2025 Christmas card, Charles and Camilla chose a photo taken on their 20th wedding anniversary, pictured in the grounds of Villa Wolkonsky, the British ambassador’s residence in Rome, earlier this year.
© Aaron Chown/PA WireIn the photo, the royal couple are standing side by side, with the Queen’s arm linking the King’s. The photograph is framed inside the card by a dark red border, with the printed message in a matching colour on the opposite side, reading: “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.”
Read on to revisit His Majesty’s cards over the years…
The 1980s
Following his 1981 wedding to Diana, Charles and the then Princess of Wales’ first card as a married couple captured the newlyweds in a post-ceremony portrait, a joyous symbol of global fascination. From then on, the appearance of the couple’s Christmas greeting was an international event. The arrival of their sons, William and Harry, added charm and consistency, with the young Princes appearing in perfectly posed family shots for years.
Reshaped dynamics
The 1990s, however, brought challenges. Charles and Diana’s separation and subsequent divorce reshaped family dynamics. The boys divided their time between their parents and posed for cards with both.
Just as Diana had to forge a path as an independent woman, Charles needed to find his feet as a single dad, and his quirky sense of humour was one of the ways he bonded with his boys. Charles’ playful side shone in the 1995 card featuring him flanked by William and Harry standing in giant flowerpots.
Tragedy struck in 1997 with Diana’s death, a moment no Christmas image could soften.
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Moving forward
Yet time moved on, and by 2005, Charles’ card celebrated his blended family alongside Camilla and his stepchildren. The pair’s joy, whether at the races or on tour, is evident in each image. By 2020 and 2021, cards captured quiet domesticity, tender moments and the couple’s connection – even under pandemic restrictions.
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