From England to Norway Europe's royal families break with tradition
Less court ceremony, more heart: Europe's royal families are saying goodbye to traditional Christmas cards this year - and instead showing unusually personal insights into their everyday family life.
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- In 2025, Europe's royal families are increasingly opting for personal Christmas greetings instead of traditional cards and showing family, emotional motifs.
- While some royals, such as the families in Monaco and Luxembourg, are retaining classic or simple traditions, others - such as William and Kate - are deliberately showing more modern, heartfelt images.
- Images from Norway are particularly emotional, with the royals presenting themselves in an emphatically relaxed manner despite Mette-Marit's serious illness.
The European royal houses are breaking with Christmas tradition this year: many are doing away with classic motifs and instead opting for personal images from the course of the year. But it's not all tradition - some royals are staying true to the usual style of Christmas cards.
One exception is the Monegasque Grimaldi family: Prince Albert and Princess Charlène appear in classic style with their twins Jacques and Gabriella under the festively decorated Christmas tree.
The photo is elegant and festive: Jacques shows an increasing resemblance to his father, while Gabriella appears in a glittering dress.
Guillaume and Stéphanie of Luxembourg also opt for tradition, but in a simpler style. They celebrate their first Christmas as Grand Dukes with a photo in the garden in front of a tree decorated in red, together with their children Charles and François. The picture conveys family warmth.
A more romantic approach comes from Charles and Camilla. Their card shows them in the gardens of the British Embassy in Rome, taken during their official visit to Italy in April, which coincided with their 20th wedding anniversary.
William and Kate stay classic
April seems to be a popular month for such shots. The Princes of Wales, William and Kate, also chose a picture from an April photo session, which was also used for George and Louis' birthdays. In the card, William, Kate and their children embrace lovingly, with Kate in the center.
The Spanish royals show themselves in a rural setting in casual - quite down-to-earth.
Norwegian royals look relaxed
The Norwegian royal family greets us with a photo from the royal house - the whole family in elegant robes. Mette-Marit is all smiles, despite a heavy blow of fate. It was only recently revealed that she needs a new lung because of her illness.
