Princess Anne delighted royal fans with the release of her Christmas card, while others patiently await the Prince and Princess of Wales’s festive release.
The 74-year-old royal selected an image of herself and her husband, Sir Timothy Lawrence, 69, riding in a carriage after attending the Order of the Garter service, held at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in June.
Taking to Facebook, The Reliant Motors Club, a group for owners and enthusiasts of Reliant vehicles, shared a photograph of the card.
‘As always we are honoured to receive a Christmas card from HRH The Princess Royal who wishes all members a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year,’ the post read.
Inside the card, the printed message read: ‘With Best Wishes for a Happy and Peaceful New Year,’ above Anne’s handwritten signature.
On the back of the festive card was a crown above the letter ‘A’ in italic writing for Anne.
After viewing the card, royal fans flocked to X to share their thoughts, with one writing: ‘Beautiful card’.
A second similarly added, ‘Beautiful photo’, while a third said the photograph was a ‘lovely’ choice.
Princess Anne’s Christmas card (pictured) features a photograph of herself and husband Sir Timothy Lawrence after attending the Order of the Garter service, held at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in June
A fourth added: ‘Hoping that Princess Anne’s next greeting card will feature her beautiful grandchildren.’
Meanwhile, others are holding out for William and Kate’s festive greeting card after last year’s version appeared to suffer from a photo editing error.
The monochrome image showed the royal couple smiling alongside their sons Prince George, 11, Prince Louis, six, and Princess Charlotte, nine, who is seated in a chair at the front of the group, with Louis’ hand resting on the arm.
But in an apparent editing fail, Louis seemed to be missing the middle finger on his left hand.
Then in March, the family’s Mother’s Day image resulted in similar controversy, before Kate admitted that she edited the image and apologised ‘for any confusion’ that the family photograph has caused.
The Palace had come under mounting pressure to reveal the truth behind the photo after the world’s top picture and news agencies – including PA – ‘killed’ the image over claims it had been digitally manipulated.
The photo of the mother-of-three beaming with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis was the first official picture released of the princess since she underwent ‘planned abdominal surgery’ in January.
A statement from the Princess of Wales said: ‘Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.
Pictured: Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence at the 2024 Royal Windsor Horse Show in Home Park, Windsor Castle, May
At the back of the Christmas greeting card was a small crown above the letter ‘A’ for Anne (pictured)
Anne chose an image from the Order of the Garter service in June, which is the is the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry, established by King Edward III nearly 700 years ago
‘I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C’
Royal sources stressed that this was ‘an amateur, family photograph taken by the Prince of Wales’.
They said the couple wanted to offer an ‘informal’ picture of the family together for Mother’s Day and the princess made ‘minor adjustments’, as she has shared in her statement on social media. An aide added: ‘The Wales family spent Mother’s Day together and had a wonderful day.’
Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children.
It comes after Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall offered rare insight into the Royal Family’s Christmas customs – as she prepares to join King Charles and her extended family at Sandringham Estate.
Attending the Battle of the Commentators charity lunch at Evolution London in Battersea Park earlier this month, the daughter of Princess Anne reportedly revealed how they spend the festive season.
The mother-of-three was said to shed light on how they enjoy the holidays, keeping up with both traditions and more modern elements – including a surprising gift-giving custom that involves the whole family.
According to a source, Zara confirmed the long suspected tradition of a black tie dinner on Christmas eve, where King Charles and Queen Camilla usually host their extended family at Sandringham in Norfolk.
And apparently it’s not just the younger family members who are treated to a stocking, with even the most senior royals waking up to a festive goodie bag on the big day.
Taking to X, one hailed Princess Anne’s Christmas card ‘beautiful’ while another dubbed it ‘lovely’
Meanwhile, other royal fans are patiently waiting for the Prince and Princess of Wales’s Christmas card, after last year’s (pictured) appeared to suffer from an editing fail
According to the insider, she said: ‘We give presents to each other on Christmas Eve. As adults, we still have stockings on Christmas Day,’ reported Hello!.
When quizzed over whether even her late grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, would have stockings on Christmas day, Zara replied, ‘Of course’.
Accompanied by her doting husband, Mike Tindall, 46, Zara is a regular attendee of the Sandringham Christmas celebrations.
The pair are regularly spotted making the annual amble to St Mary Magdalene Church, where the family attend a Christmas Day service.
In former years, the couple have brought along their two daughter, Mia, ten, and Lena, six, though their youngest, Lucas, three, is yet to enjoy his first Christmas Day outing.
In previous years, the adorable young Tindalls have stolen the show alongside their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Since becoming king, Charles, 76, appears to have made effort to stick to royal traditions. However, in recent years the royal has allowed for an even bigger celebration with Queen Camilla, 77, also inviting her children and grandchildren to Sandringham.
