Prince William and Kate Middleton have recently made a move similar to that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and it’s not the first time they’ve done so this year. Just hours after they reportedly gave King Charles a pre-Christmas snub, the couple made headlines with a social media post that mirrors something Harry and Meghan might do.
The Prince and Princess of Wales had initially planned to attend the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas lunch the week before Christmas, but they ultimately decided to skip the gathering. The reason? The family had already moved to Norfolk ahead of the holiday. While their absence may have cast a slight shadow over King Charles’ holiday plans, William and Kate showed they weren’t trying to be grinches by taking to X (formerly Twitter) to share a family Christmas card.
On December 19, William and Kate’s official account, @KensingtonRoyal, posted a heartwarming family photo. It featured the couple with their three children: Prince George (11), Princess Charlotte (9), and Prince Louis (6). The caption read, “Wishing everyone a happy Christmas,” while the inside of the virtual card wished fans a “Very Happy Christmas and New Year.”
The timing of the post was interesting, particularly since it came the same day as their canceled lunch with King Charles. Earlier that week, Harry and Meghan had also shared their own family Christmas card, though it sparked some controversy for choosing a photo that obscured the faces of Prince Archie (5) and Princess Lilibet (3). By contrast, William and Kate shared a much clearer image of their family, which some might see as a response, although it’s unclear whether this was intentional.
It’s worth noting that the photo isn’t brand new. It’s the same image from the emotional video released by the palace in September when Kate announced she had finished her chemotherapy treatment. Additionally, the post didn’t feature the typical “W & C” sign-off, suggesting that this wasn’t a personal message from the couple themselves, but rather from their social media team. While we may like to imagine that William and Harry are constantly fueling their sibling rivalry, it’s possible that William had no involvement in the social media strategy behind this post.
One thing is certain: the Waleses’ social media team has clearly improved their editing skills over the year. Earlier in 2024, a Mother’s Day photo of Kate led to bizarre conspiracy theories, which ultimately forced her to publicly reveal her cancer diagnosis. Since then, the couple seems to have adopted some of Harry and Meghan’s PR techniques, aiming to make their online presence more authentic and relatable.
As for their Christmas plans, the Wales family is set to spend Christmas morning with King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the rest of the royal family at the king’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk. However, they won’t be staying for Christmas dinner with the royals. Instead, they’ll be spending the second half of the day with Kate’s family, the Middletons.