Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2024 Christmas card release created a huge commotion this week, which royal observers and pundits couldn’t ignore. Reactions to their Christmas greetings, which were disseminated to the public via the Archewell Foundation, were not uniform, with many people drawing parallels to the more conventional cards sent by the Wales family. Although the Sussexes’ card was intended to commemorate their year, many royal fans are curious about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s thoughts because of the difference between their strategy and the more traditional royal holiday greetings.
Let’s have a look at it for those who need clarification.
Since getting married in 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have sent out Christmas cards every year, and this year’s release carried on that custom. But Harry and Meghan adopted a different strategy this time. Their 2024 card was a collage—a mosaic of images that captured significant moments from their year—instead of a single, staged family portrait.
The collage featured touching photos of the couple’s international humanitarian activities, with a particular reference to their August trip to Colombia. Another picture demonstrated the closeness of the family by showing their kids, Archie and Lilibet, running in the direction of their parents. The message that followed said, “On behalf of the office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful new year.”
Although the intention was clearly good, the card’s design soon came under royal criticism and discussion.
It’s crucial to take into account the custom of royal Christmas cards in order to comprehend the commotion. The practice of sending a single, well-chosen photo has long been followed by the royal family, particularly King Charles III and the Princess of Wales. The children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—usually appear in these royal photos, preserving a happy and cohesive family moment. Following a straightforward and sophisticated method, the Wales family, who are renowned for their more modest and traditional approach, typically waits until Christmas Day to reveal their card.
In an interview with Tyla, former King Charles III butler Grant Harrold expressed reservations about the Sussexes’ card. Typically, a typical royal Christmas card from the King or Princess of Wales is only a picture, he said. Harry and Meghan had a totally different card this year. It’s more like a montage. This is not the proper course of action. It isn’t authentically royal.
William and Kate’s holiday cards have traditionally been more straightforward and include only one image, in contrast to the Sussexes’ strategy. The three kids have always been featured on their cards, which capture a more conventional family moment in accordance with royal protocol.
Royal family fans have been curious to know Prince William and Kate Middleton’s thoughts on the release, especially in light of the internet discussion surrounding Harry and Meghan’s holiday card. Particularly when Harry and Meghan left their royal responsibilities in 2020 and moved to California, the two couples’ relationship has become more complex in recent years. Rumors of conflict between the Sussexes and the Waleses have continued ever since, and there is conjecture as to whether they will ever get along again.
William and Kate, meanwhile, have kept quiet about the incident in typical royal fashion. The pair chose to share a video on Twitter (or X) that was unrelated to the ongoing argument about the Christmas card rather than participate in it. Gregory Porter was seen in the video performing during Kate’s yearly “Together at Christmas” carol service, which was held in Westminster Abbey earlier this month. “It was an honor to perform at The Princess of Wales’ 2024 Together at Christmas carol service,” the artist wrote as the caption for the video. What a night to remember.
The video was reposted by the Wales family on social media, including Instagram and Twitter, with the simple message, “Thank you for having me @KensingtonRoyal.”
Curiosity regarding the royal couple’s stance was only heightened by their evasive reaction to the Christmas card controversy. Did they only need to follow royal etiquette, or were they purposefully ignoring the situation?
The controversy around the Sussexes’ 2024 Christmas card reveals a wider gap between how the public views Harry and Meghan and William and Kate. William and Kate have mostly adhered to tradition, representing the monarchy’s future in a more traditional sense, whereas Harry and Meghan have adopted a more contemporary, globalized approach to their royal responsibilities, concentrating on their personal lives and charitable endeavors.
Since each couple represents a distinct aspect of contemporary royal life, this division has fueled continuous conversations about the “royal brand.” Some applaud Harry and Meghan’s attempts to add a more relevant, personal touch to the royal family’s public image, while others have criticized them for violating royal protocol in some of their activities, such as their recent Christmas card.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are unlikely to explicitly address the Christmas card problem at this time. Their public reaction—or lack thereof—demonstrates that they would rather concentrate on their official responsibilities than participate in family drama in public. It’s possible that the pair decided to distribute irrelevant content in order to deflect criticism from the argument and redirect it toward their own humanitarian endeavors and obligations.
It remains to be seen if the Sussexes’ card was a well-meaning gesture that deviated from custom or a mistake in royal procedure. But it’s evident that Harry and Meghan’s Christmas style continues to defy the standards of royal living, and it will undoubtedly continue to be a topic of discussion among royal observers for long time to come.
Although William and Kate’s silence says a lot, it will be interesting to see if they decide to comment, particularly as the holiday season and royal customs continue to change.