King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles have revealed their first Christmas card since he ascended to the throne. Royal fans have noticed that the couple’s card features a photo taken shortly before Queen Elizabeth’s death.
King Charles’ First Christmas Card As Sovereign
On December 11, King Charles and Parker Bowles shared an image of their Christmas card. The inside of the card reads, “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.” It also features an image of the couple, taken on September 3, 2022.
The photo, taken by Samir Hussein, shows the king and queen consort attending the Braemar Games in Scotland. Members of the royal family have been attending the games for decades to watch athletes compete in events like the caber toss, the hammer throw, the stone put, and the sheaf toss.
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In the picture, King Charles and Parker Bowles are decked out in festive red and green outfits, making it a perfect choice for their first Christmas card as reigning monarchs. Some eagle-eyed royal fans have noticed that the photo was taken just days before Queen Elizabeth passed away on September 8.
The Couple’s Past Cards
While this is the first Christmas card the couple has sent out as king and queen consort, they have sent many Christmas cards in the past. Last year’s card showed King Charles with a mask over his face as he helped Parker Bowles put on her own face covering.
2020’s card featured a photo of the couple in their garden at Birkhall, King Charles’ home in Scotland. The year before that, it was a picture of the pair on one of their royal tours to Havana, Cuba.
The Holiday Traditions The King Will Observe
The Christmas card isn’t the only big holiday first for the couple. It’s the first year the royal family—and the rest of the world—have celebrated the holiday without Queen Elizabeth, and many are wondering which traditions King Charles will continue, as well as what might fall by the wayside.
The king and queen consort have already announced that they will be spending Christmas at Sandringham, as they have in years past, where they will be joined by other members of the royal family, like Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Prince William, and his family.
This Christmas might feel different for the royals and the people of the UK, but it looks like King Charles plans to uphold the holiday traditions his mother celebrated each year.