Prince William and Kate Middleton's 'subtle change' in annual Christmas cards revealed

Year upon year, royal fans excitedly await the annual drop of the monarchy's official Christmas card selection.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla released their 2025 edition earlier this month, featuring a photo of the happy couple arm in arm, alongside a simple message that read, 'Wishing you a very happy Christmas and New Year'.

Days later, Princess Anne's went viral online, including a sweet snap of she and husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence posing happily in a carriage, alongside a similarly Christmassy caption.

Usually, by this point in December, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have also sent their official card from the States. Last year, they invited six-year-old son Prince Archie and daughter Princess Lilibet, four, to join in for the first time - but we haven't received their 2025 version as of yet.

The Wales' are famed for their low-key festive portraits (Kensington Palace)

Also yet to grace us with a festive message, are the Prince of Princess of Wales.

According to royal insiders, however, Prince William and Kate Middleton have been shaking things up this year, having made 'subtle' changes to their Christmas card drops compared to other senior royals.

Their first launch came months after their 2011 wedding, showing Kate radiating joy in a white dress alongside a very suited-and-booted William, during their newlywed tour of Canada.

And ever since welcoming their eldest child, Prince George, two years later, the Wales, both 43, have invited their youngsters to sit alongside them as they post affectionately.

The family posed in the woods in 2018 (Kensington Palace)

Unlike royals that came before them, and some still around today, the couple are considered to have thrown out the rule book when it comes to family photos, and refuse to sit for stiffly-posed portraits of ages past.

William and Kate are usually seen either hand in hand or arm in arm, while 12-year-old George and his siblings, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Louis pose playfully between them, their charming gap-toothed smiles beaming widely.

The location of the low-key shoot has also varied over the years, ranging from the fivesome leaning on a tree in the woods in 2018, walking to school together four years later.

They wore matching relaxed-fit white shirts while smiling in a black-and-white photography studio in 2023, and last year's vintage-esque edition was a still image taken from a video Kate previously shared when announcing that she'd finished chemotherapy, after starting cancer treatment in March.

Last year's card came from Kate's cancer-update clip (Kensington Palace)

In the first few family pics, experts observed no viable emphasis on future kings William or George, with every member of the group receiving their own little glimpse of the spotlight.

In 2022, however, according to HELLO!, many onlookers suddenly noted how grown-up George appeared in his walking-to-school shot as he clasped hands with dad William, believing a 'subtle shift' had been implemented to demonstrate the pair are heir apparent and 'second in command'.

This said, some experts also believe the laid-back approach to the Christmas portraits indicate the Wales' plans to implement a smaller, more humanitarian monarchy when William ascends to the throne.

The family's 2022 snap reportedly exhibited a 'subtle shift' (Kensington Palace)

"Their take on royal life is very different to King Charles' and Queen Elizabeth's," former royal butler Grant Harrold exclusively told Tyla in September. "William has talked about 'Royal' starting with a lower 'r'."

He added of the Wales' attitude at the time: "I think, when he’s king, we’ll see massive moves away from opulence. They’ll try to show that they're a very modern royal family."