Duke and Duchess of Cambridge release new family photo for royal Christmas card

The King and Queen have chosen a Coronation Day photo taken at Buckingham Palace for their Christmas card this year.

The formal image showing Charles and Camilla in the palace's throne room after the coronation contrasts with the relaxed family group photo chosen by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

The monochrome image chosen by the Prince and Princess of Wales shows the family, all in simple shirts, arranged around a smiling Princess Charlotte, who sits on a chair.

The King and Queen's card features a photo by photographer Hugo Burnand, who captured the couple standing side by side, with Charles wearing the Imperial State Crown and Camilla wearing Queen Mary's Crown.

The king also wears a coronation tunic and the robe of state.

The robe, made of purple silk velvet with gold embroidery, was worn by King George VI in 1937. carried.

The Queen wears her legacy gown, made by Ede and Ravenscroft and designed and hand-embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.

She also wears her coronation dress designed by Bruce Oldfield.

The image – taken on coronation day, May 6, 2023 – was chosen for the couple's second Christmas card since Charles became king.

Charles and Camilla's coronation and deeply religious ceremony at Westminster Abbey earlier this year was followed by a weekend of celebrations.

The couple made their way to the palace balcony to view the crowd, which included the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, as well as the coronation pages and ladies in attendance.

The event brought together around 100 heads of state, kings and queens from around the world, celebrities, everyday heroes as well as family and friends of the couple.

William and Kate were photographed in Windsor with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis earlier this year.

The family photo was taken by Yorkshire-born photographer Josh Shinner, whose previous cast includes Florence Pugh, Jodie Comer and Sam Smith.

Senior members of the royal family regularly publish Christmas pictures that are used to decorate official holiday cards and send the cards to friends, family and colleagues.