Royal Fans Have an Issue With Charles’ Christmas Card: ‘You’re Head of the Church of England'
This year’s card centers on celebrating love and longevity, featuring a portrait of the King and Queen.
King Charles and Queen Camilla, embracing the festive spirit, released their 2025 Christmas card, but royal fans weren't impressed. Royal watchers who had been eagerly waiting for the reveal felt that the design lacked the seasonal cheer they anticipated. They argued that the card failed to capture the warmth and festivity of Christmas, and to their disappointment, wasn't even shot in the UK.
The card, which was meant to celebrate love and longevity, features the King and Queen standing arm-in-arm against the elegant backdrop of Villa Wolkonsky, the British ambassador’s residence in Rome. The photograph, taken last April by renowned royal photographer Chris Jackson, was shared on the family’s official Instagram page as part of the couple’s milestone 20th wedding anniversary. While visually striking, the understated composition has led many to feel it leans less on the Christmas charm.
In the portrait, the King is dressed in a sharp blue pinstripe suit with a grey tie and a neatly folded silk handkerchief tucked into his chest pocket, while the Queen looks ethereal in a polished Anna Valentine beige coat dress. She accessorized her look with pearl drop earrings and a lily of the valley brooch. Although the portrait looked straight out of a fairytale, fans were upset. "I wish the royals would put their backs into it with these Christmas cards! WHERE’S CHRISTMAS?! It’s just a photo from another day!" wrote a person on X (formerly Twitter).
The Christmas card had the portrait in the centre, framed by a deep red border accented with intricate gold detailing on the side. It also included a simple printed message in red: “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.” Despite its elegance, a disappointed netizen slammed, "You are head of the Church of England, so why isn't your Christmas card even remotely Christmassy or Christian?" Another agreed: "Beautiful picture, but it doesn't feel Christmas. Might I suggest a lovely picture from Windsor or Sandringham when the Christmas lights are lit? Or even taken out front of the St. George's chapel."
They noted that it had no Christmas tree or bauble in sight, which nullified the entire objective of a holiday card. However, not everyone was against it. "Rome's beauty makes a magical Christmas setting! Villa Wolkonsky reminds me of my own lovely visits to Italy," gushed a fan. While another commented, "Beautiful, Your Majesties." The royal family is finally sprouting back to life after a challenging year with the King and Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis.
According to reports, the royal family will once again gather at the King’s private Sandringham estate to celebrate the holidays, continuing a tradition rooted in festive routine, a black-tie dinner on Christmas Eve, exchanging gifts in hierarchical order, and a church service. Although Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, are not invited for this year's celebration, their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will reportedly attend. The Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their kids, Princess Anne with her family, Duchess Sophie and Zara, and Mike Tindall, will also be in attendance.
