Prince William and Prince Charles share photos that will be on their 2020 Christmas cards

Rebecca Taylor
·Royal Correspondent
·3-min read
EMBARGOED TO 2200 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16 MANDATORY CREDIT: Matt Porteous. Strictly for editorial use only. Not for use after December 31, 2021. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. Handout image provided by Kensington Palace of the 2020 Christmas card of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge which features an image taken in the autumn by photographer Matt Porteous showing the Duke and Duchess with their three children Prince George (left), Princess Charlotte (right) and Prince Louis at Anmer Hall in Norfolk. THIS IMAGE IS PROVIDED FOR FREE EDITORIAL USE UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2021 WHEN IT MUST BE REMOVED FROM ALL SYSTEMS AND THOSE OF YOUR SUBSCRIBERS. USE OF THE IMAGE AFTER THIS DATE WILL REQUIRE PERMISSION FROM KENSINGTON PALACE. THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS STRICTLY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE, INCLUDING SOUVENIRS, COVERS, ADVERTISING, PROMOTIONAL OR NON-EDITORIAL USE PERMITTED. THE PHOTOGRAPH CANNOT BE CROPPED, MANIPULATED OR ALTERED IN ANY WAY. NO CHARGE SHOULD BE MADE FOR THE SUPPLY, RELEASE OR PUBLICATION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH.
The Duke and Duchess with their three children, Prince George (left), Princess Charlotte (right) and Prince Louis at Anmer Hall in Norfolk. (Matt Porteous)

Prince William and his wife Kate have released the image that will be on their Christmas card this year, days after it was leaked online.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared the picture, which features the family of five, on Wednesday evening, confirming it would be used on cards from them this year.

The image leaked on a royal fan’s Facebook page over the weekend.

It shows William and Kate sitting on bales of hay in front of a huge pile of logs, in their country home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk.

Their three children are with them, with George, seven, next to his father, with his elbow on his dad’s leg.

Louis, two, is seen standing in between his father’s legs, and steals the show with his happy expression.

Charlotte, five, is sat with her mother, and has one hand on her own knee and the other on the duchess’s.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge with their children, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, attend a special pantomime performance at London's Palladium Theatre, hosted by The National Lottery, to thank key workers and their families for their efforts throughout the pandemic on December 11, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
William and Kate with George, Charlotte and Louis at London's Palladium Theatre for the panto. (Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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The family photo was taken in the autumn, which means it was probably taken shortly before they returned to London for the new school year.

The family is dressed in earthy colours, all in either jeans or casual chino style trousers. Kate chose a deep red jumper for the photo, while her daughter Charlotte is in a green sweater which features a house and the alphabet along the top.

A blue shirt is just visible underneath Prince William’s olive green jumper, and his son George wears a brown Regatta half zip fleece and a checked shirt.

Louis also dons a shirt and jumper, opting for a navy blue combination.

He is also seen in trousers - unusual in the aristocracy for a boy of his age. Many photos of his brother at a similar age showed him in shorts.

EMBARGOED TO 2200 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16 MANDATORY CREDIT: Clarence House. Strictly for editorial use only. Not for use after January 31, 2021. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. Handout image provided by Clarence House of the 2020 Christmas card of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall which features a photograph taken in the early autumn at Birkhall, Scotland, by a member of their staff. THIS IMAGE IS PROVIDED FOR FREE EDITORIAL USE UNTIL JANUARY 31, 2021 WHEN IT MUST BE REMOVED FROM ALL SYSTEMS AND THOSE OF YOUR SUBSCRIBERS. USE OF THE IMAGE AFTER THIS DATE WILL REQUIRE PERMISSION FROM CLARENCE HOUSE. THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS STRICTLY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE, INCLUDING SOUVENIRS, COVERS, ADVERTISING, PROMOTIONAL OR NON-EDITORIAL USE PERMITTED. THE PHOTOGRAPH CANNOT BE CROPPED, MANIPULATED OR ALTERED IN ANY WAY. NO CHARGE SHOULD BE MADE FOR THE SUPPLY, RELEASE OR PUBLICATION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in the early autumn at Birkhall, Scotland. (Clarence House)

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William’s father Prince Charles also shared his Christmas card photograph, and revealed it was taken by a member of staff.

The photo, taken at Birkhall in Scotland, shows Charles and Camilla on a bench on a sunny day in their garden.

Birkhall is their Scottish home, and where they spent much of the first national lockdown.

However they returned to England as restrictions eased, though they were back up in Scotland on a few occasions carrying out engagements.

While Camilla looks into the camera, her husband appears to be struck by something off to one side and is laughing while looking away.

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Camilla, 72, looks casual in her jeans, which she paired with a pink shirt and a dark blazer. She revealed in July, when she guest edited the Emma Barnett show on Radio 5, that she had been “very, very happy with my jeans” during lockdown.

Charles, also 72, wears a light-coloured suit and blue shirt, complete with a pocket square.

William and Kate’s Christmas photo leaked via social media just hours after they had made their first red carpet appearance with their children on Friday afternoon.

They took George, Charlotte and Louis to the panto at the Palladium in the capital, where they enjoyed the show from the royal box.

It came in the nick of time as by Wednesday, all theatres in London had to close their doors again, because the city was moved into Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions.

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