King Charles and Queen Camilla officially unveiled their first Christmas card together following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis.
However, this time around, the couple chose a photo which was an unusual choice for them. Taken by photographer Millie Pilkington, the picture used was a stark contrast to the portrait used for the 2023 Christmas card.
Charles and Camilla chose an informal of them in the Buckingham Palace. The pair is stood side-by-side in the portrait during a sunny day in April of this year. Charles, dressed in grey suit and blue tie, is captured with his hand in his pocket, while Camilla, in a blue wool crepe Fiona Clare dress, is smiling at the camera.
In the card, the message read, “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.”
Last year’s Christmas card featured a formal portrait taken by photographer Hugo Burnand after the Coronation, with the couple dressed in regalia and their crowns.
Just a few months after the card was unveiled, the monarch announced that he was diagnosed with cancer as he was undergoing a procedure to cure an enlarged prostrate.
Compared to the formal looking cards from previous years, it appears that King Charles is changing the tone of the monarchy as he puts focus on his marriage and family.
Per The Telegraph, the selection of the photo this year is “further evidence of a deliberate decision to emphasise the bonds of family in the Christmas message”.
