British royalty is gearing up for its inaugural family Christmas following the coronation of Charles III. The monarch officially assumed the throne after the passing of Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, but the formal crowning ceremony took place more recently, on May 6 of the current year.
As the festive month of December approaches, the British royal family anticipates the Christmas celebrations with a distinctive touch at Buckingham Palace. This time, King Charles III, who ascended to the throne after Queen Elizabeth II's demise at the age of 96 on September 8, 2022, will mark his first holiday season as the reigning monarch. His coronation, held at Westminster Abbey on May 6, was the official ceremony initiating his rule.
The royal family's official Christmas card, shared via Instagram, features a photograph of King Charles III and his current wife, Queen Camilla, taken in the Throne Room of the Palace on the coronation day by photographer Hugo Burnand. The accompanying English text on the postcard extends warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and New Year.
In recent days, both King Charles III and Queen Camilla have shared videos showcasing their activities leading up to the holidays. One video highlights the King's visit to the Ealing Broadway Christmas Market, where he engaged with local businesses and stall owners, including recipients of The King's Award for Voluntary Service. Another recording features Queen Camilla continuing her annual tradition of welcoming children to decorate the Christmas tree at Clarence House, supported by @HelenAndDouglasHouse and @RoaldDahlCharity.
Additionally, the future heirs to the crown, Prince William and Kate Middleton, distributed a Christmas card featuring a black and white photograph taken by Josh Shinner. The image captures the Prince of Wales with their three children—Louis, Charlotte, and George. However, social media users criticized the card for its perceived excess of photoshop.
Despite the joyful scenes captured by the cameras, the British royal family's history has been marked by controversies. Queen Consort Camilla Rosemary Shand was the longtime lover of the then Prince of Wales during his marriage to Diana Spencer (1981–1996) and while she was married to Andrew Parker Bowles (1973–1995). It was only after the tragic death of Princess Diana on August 31, 1997, that Camilla's relationship with the heir to the crown, whom she married on April 9, 2005, began to be accepted.
Although the kingdom interpreted this as a testament to the strength of love, the rigid protocols of the monarchy and the relationship between Charles and Camilla were later accepted by Prince Harry, the younger son of the monarch and Diana. Prince Harry, who experienced firsthand the constraints of royal protocol, informed his grandmother, the sovereign of the United Kingdom, of his decision to resign from British royalty on February 19, 2021. By that time, the Duke of Sussex and his wife, actress Meghan Markle, had been residing in the United States with their son Archie for a year, and their second child, Lilibet, was born there. Unfortunately, attempts to reconcile with Buckingham Palace were never successful.
