Prince William and Kate Middleton unveiled their much-anticipated 2025 festive card earlier today (18 December), following similar releases from King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, as well as Princess Anne.
The Family Photo at the Center of Debate
The photograph, taken by photographer Josh Shinner in Norfolk back in April, shows the couple seated on the grass among spring daffodils with their three children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
Charlotte is pictured resting her head on her father’s shoulder while holding his arm. Louis appears laid-back, leaning back between William’s legs, while Kate has her arm wrapped around George.
The message inside the card reads: “Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas.”
Online Speculation Over Image Editing
While some critics questioned the photo choice for lacking festive flair, others took to social media to speculate that the image may have been Photoshopped.
The claims mirror similar online debates surrounding the family’s 2023 Christmas card. In that black-and-white image, observers pointed out that William’s legs appeared to be missing behind Charlotte’s chair, while others noted that Louis’ middle finger seemed absent.
Following the release of the 2025 card, one Reddit user commented: “Kinda looks fake, to be honest.”
Another wrote: “Boring and fake. They love cosplaying the middle-class farmer family look.”
A third added: “Kate looks like she was added in the photo. Her hand seems like she’s wearing a different shirt and isn’t even holding Prince George, it’s around something else. It’s so bizarre. They could even snap a pic at the Christmas Concert.”
Others echoed similar thoughts, with one asking: “Were any of them actually together when they took the picture, or is it another Photoshop?”
Another declared: “Kate looks like she was added in,” while a final Redditor agreed: “She does. Her hand looks Photoshopped onto George.”
Looking Back at Last Year’s Card
The Waleses’ 2024 Christmas card was released on the same day Kate shared a video announcing she had completed chemotherapy, following her cancer diagnosis revealed in March that year.
That card featured the message: “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.”
It also raised eyebrows for breaking tradition, as it appeared in GIF form, showing animated snowfall over a computer-generated image.
