Overview
- The 2025 card, released December 7, uses an earlier portrait of King Charles and Queen Camilla taken by Chris Jackson in the grounds of Villa Wolkonsky in Rome.
- Social media users complained that the image did not feel festive and suggested alternatives such as a photo at Windsor or Sandringham or adding seasonal decoration.
- The Royal Collection Trust responded by sharing historical examples to contextualize the choice of a non-seasonal portrait.
- Examples cited included a 1938 Marcus Adams photo of George VI’s family with corgi Dookie, a 1948 portrait of Princess Elizabeth with young Prince Charles, and a 1917 image of Crown Prince Olav by Anders Beer Wilse addressed to Queen Mary.
- The exchange comes days before the royal family’s annual Sandringham gathering, and there has been no indication of any change to the card.