NEED TO KNOW

  • Kate Middleton and Prince William issued a new family photo for their Christmas card
  • The Prince and Princess of Wales’ sunny snap with their kids was from an April 2025 photo shoot that produced other pictures they have released this year
  • Photographer Josh Shinner captured the new snap and previously took the family’s Christmas card picture in 2023

Kate Middleton and Prince William are sending sunny Christmas wishes with a new image that might look familiar.

On Dec. 18, the Prince and Princess of Wales, both 43, released their 2025 Christmas picture with their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. 

The shot showed the family of five sitting close together in a field of daffodils, matching their fashion in earthy shades of green and brown. Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis snuggled up to Prince William, while Princess Kate held her arm around Prince George.

“Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas,” the snap was captioned, credited to photographer Josh Shinner and dated April 2025.

Responding on his Instagram Stories, Shinner said, “Very proud to have shot the Christmas portrait for the @princeandprincessofwales.” 

The picture was from the same outdoor photo session that produced several portraits that the family released throughout the year.

The first image from the photo shoot was revealed in April, when the Prince and Princess of Wales shared one of Shinner’s photos in celebration of Prince Louis’ seventh birthday. The little prince beamed in that snap as he sat on a log, showing off his missing teeth!

In June, William and Kate chose two more of Shinner’s photos to send well-wishes on Father’s Day. The two-part tribute opened with a color picture of the Prince of Wales standing with his arms around his kids and rolled to a black and white snap of the royal dad on the ground, laughing as George, Charlotte and Louis lay on top of him.

Prince William and Princess Kate selected another one of Shinner’s pictures for Prince George’s birthday in July when he turned 12. The royal parents published a portrait of George resting his arms on a fence, where he sported a trendy friendship bracelet. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales have released pictures of all three children since they were babies to celebrate their birthdays in a gesture of gratitude for the well-wishes they receive, and the family has worked with Shinner previously.

The Wales family tapped the photographer for their Christmas card in 2023, where they matched in white button-down shirts and dark pants for the black and white portrait taken in a studio setting.

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Shinner later said it was a joy to photograph the family, where Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis brought jokes.

“It was such a pleasure to photograph The Prince and Princess of Wales and their family for the Christmas portrait this year,” he wrote below the photo on Instagram in December 2023.

“Without doubt one of the most relaxed and enjoyable sittings I’ve ever had, and I now have a whole new set of jokes that are right on my level thanks to the children… A huge thanks to the @princeandprincessofwales for having me.”