King Charles and Queen Camilla Unveil Their Official Christmas Card
King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla, have unveiled their official holiday greeting for the festive season.
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!” stated the royal family’s official Instagram account on Saturday, December 7. The post announced that “The King and Queen are pleased to share this year’s Christmas card.”
The seasonal card showcases a photograph of Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, holding hands as they walked through Rome’s Villa Wolkonsky in spring. The picture, captured by renowned photographer Chris Jackson, documents the royal pair's official state visit to Italy in April.
The inside of the greeting conveyed the message: “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.”
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Photographer Jackson, 45, expressed particular satisfaction at having captured the image chosen for Charles and Camilla’s holiday card.
“What a great visit that was,” Jackson commented on Instagram on Saturday, adding, “Happy Christmas!!”
Charles’ Christmas card marks one of several longstanding festive rituals. Annually, he guides his family—including Camilla, son Prince William, and the monarch’s siblings—on the traditional walk to the Christmas Day church services at Sandringham Estate. Later that day, Charles will broadcast a heartfelt holiday address to the British nation before enjoying a private gathering with his loved ones.
“The celebration may carry a wistful tone,” an insider exclusively shared with Us Weekly earlier this month, alluding to the separate cancer battles faced by Charles and his daughter-in-law Princess Kate Middleton. “However, it will also be a time of celebration, especially after Kate received the all-clear.”
Both Charles and Kate, 43, received diagnoses of undisclosed forms of cancer in 2024. While the king continues treatment, Kate announced earlier this year that she is in remission.
“They all want to make the most of their time together,” the source elaborated regarding the family’s holiday plans. “Charles prioritizes duty, but he’s also a devoted family man who understands that his time is precious. He wishes for a special last Christmas in case it’s his last.”
The source additionally revealed that Charles will perform “everything expected of him and more” concerning his public festive responsibilities.
“Charles wants to have a traditional holiday with all the royals,” the insider added to Us. “Every family Christmas is precious, but it’s particularly significant for him this year.”
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Kate initiated the festive season by hosting the "Together at Christmas" carol concert, which she organized for the second time on Friday, December 5. The Princess of Wales was accompanied by her husband William, 43, and their three children at Westminster Abbey.
“At its core, Christmas embodies love in its most fundamental, human forms. It manifests not through sentimental or extravagant gestures, but through gentle ones. A moment of listening, a word of comfort, a friendly conversation, a helping hand, presence,” the Princess of Wales wrote in her message to attendees. “These simple acts of care may seem minor, but they contribute to the beautiful tapestry of life to which we all belong. Christmas is a time that reminds us how deeply our lives are intertwined. Just as tree roots share strength unseen beneath the soil, so too do we. We are guided by an instinctive desire for belonging and connection.”
Charles, in contrast, was unable to attend the carol service because he had official engagements scheduled in Germany during that same week.
