Here's How Europe's Royal Families Greet The World During Holiday Season Through Their Christmas Card Portrait

Royals of Europe traditionally mark the Holiday Season with the release of their Christmas Card, and mostly the photos they pick speak about family unity.

Here are some of their Christmas Card portraits throughout these years:

Note: The territories are arranged based on the number of years its current monarch/ crown head reigned.

BRITAIN

The British royal family used this family portrait for their 1968 Christmas Card

The Christmas Card 1968 of the Queen's family showed them in the grounds of Frogmore estate near Windsor Castle, enjoying the spring day walking in the garden. The family's youngest child, Prince Edward, was only four years old.

Christmas Card 1979

Eleven years later, the British royal family's Christmas Card showed them in Balmoral estate during their summer break. Princess Anne's young son, Peter Phillips, is seen in the background at the back of Prince Edward.

Christmas Card 1996

Having their children grown up and have their own families, the Queen and Prince Philip chose a photo of just themselves for their Christmas Card in 1996. The photo showed them enjoying the day during their summer break in Balmoral estate.

Change in the Christmas Card released by the Clarence House. Before his sons got married, the Prince of Wales traditionally released Christmas Card featuring him and his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, with some few Christmas season exemptions following his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles. 

In 2018, after the marriage of Prince Harry, Clarence House released a Christmas Card featuring the complete family of the Prince of Wales. Beginning 2019, Clarence House began the tradition of releasing a Christmas Card featuring only the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. 

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Christmas Card 2020

The 2019, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall's Christmas Card showed them wearing ranch attire in Scotland. In 2020, showed them in a relaxed setting taken at their Scottish summer residence, Birkhall.

Christmas Card 2021

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall opted for a COVID-19 themed portrait this year. The photo, showing Prince Charles helping his wife fixed her face mask, was taken during the Royal Ascot in June.

The Cambridges in 2020 Christmas Card

The Duke of Duchess of Cambridge opted for a more relaxed setting for their Christmas Card portraits. In 2020, the photo showed them and their children wearing sweater with Princess Charlotte wearing her boots.

The Cambridges Christmas Card 2021

For this year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose a family photo taken in Petra, Jordan during their visit early this year. The photo showed them in a vibrant vacation mode with Prince William wearing shorts.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex

The Queen's youngest child, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, released a Christmas Card portrait featuring him and his wife, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, without their children, Lady Louise Windsor, who turned 18 last November, and James, Viscount Severn, who turned 14, this month.

The Duke of Sussex family

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also released their Holiday featuring their two children, Archie and Lili. The first time the couple introduced their daughter to the public.

This year, the British royal family lost the family's patriarch, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen's husband of 73 years died at 99 on April 9, 2021 after an illness. He was two months shy of reaching his centenary birthday.

DENMARK

The Danish royal family Christmas Card 2019

Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and their four children bannered the Danish royal family's Christmas Card in 2019. The portrait showed them decorating their Christmas tree with two white horses in the background.

Prince Joachim of Denmark and family

Crown Prince Frederick's younger brother, Prince Joachim, released a family portrait to greet everyone a Merry Christmas.

His wife, Princess Marie, holding a pet puppy, while their daughter, Princess Athena, seated on his lap. The couple's eldest child, Prince Henrik stood behind.

SWEDEN

Swedish royal family Christmas Card 2020

The Christmas Card 2020 portrait of the family of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Prince Daniel showed them with their children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar in a homey setting near the fire place.

Princess Estelle, Duchess of Ostergotland and Prince Oscar, Duke of Skane

The above portrait of Crown Princess Victoria's children is not the family's official Christmas Card but it is the same setting where Princess Estelle, 9, recorded a Christmas greeting for her grandfather's subjects.

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden and family. Christmas Card 2020

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Varmland, the second child and only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf, also used a homey family portrait for their Christmas Card 2020. 

The photo showed him with his wife, Princess Sofia, who was still pregnant with their third child, and two sons, Prince Gabriel and Prince Alexander.

Princess Madeleine, Chris O'Neil and their three children

The youngest of the Swedish royals' siblings, Princess Madeleine, also has her own family version of Christmas greetings. Her family visited a Christmas exhibition recently with her three children, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne, donned a traditional Swedish holiday attire.

NORWAY

The Norwegian royal family always released a Christmas Card portrait showing the monarch, his consort and the crown prince's family.

King Harald V of Norway, a second cousin to Queen Elizabeth II and first cousin to King Albert II of Belgium, has two children with his wife, Queen Sonja, but the current Norwegian constitution restricted the royal family members only to the family of the Crown Prince, Haakon.

Christmas season 2021

The Crown Prince has two children with his wife, Mette-Mariet. Princess Alexandra Ingrid, his heir, and the youngest, Prince Magnus.

LIECHTENSTEIN

We have not seen any Christmas Card portraits officially released by the Liechtenstein royal family. This state is a principality just like Monaco. And its current head is Prince Hans Adam II. 

Prince Alois and Princess Sophia of Liechtenstein and their four children

His heir is his eldest son, Prince Alois, the Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, who married an heiress to the Jacobite succession of the thrones of Britain, Princess Sophia, formerly Duchess Sophia of Bavaria.

Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein, his wife, Princess Marie, their eldest son, Prince Alois and his wife, Princess Sophia

Princess Marie died from stroke this year. She was 81

This year, Prince Hans Adam II became a widower when his wife of 54 years, Princess Marie, died from stroke in August 2021.

LUXEMBOURG

Prince Guillaume, the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Stephanie, the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, finally have a child in 2020 after almost eight years of marriage.

The infant heir, Prince Charles, was born on May 10, 2020, during lockdown time. The bouncy baby boy was featured with them in their 2020 Christmas Card.

The Hereditary Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and their son for Christmas Card 2020 portrait

This year, the family's bundle of joy is already one-year-old and seven months, and the above photo showed him with his parents enjoying a moment in the floor probably playing with his teddies. 

MONACO

This year has been a difficult one for the Monaco royals. Princess Charlene is away from home this holiday season. She is said to be abroad seeking for medical treatment. 

She is, however, still keeping in touch through her instagram account. Recently, she posted a drawing of a family portrait to greet everyone a Happy Holiday.

Princess Charlene of Monaco released this family portrait for the holiday season

The drawing looks like based on their Christmas Card portrait in 2020

Their Serene Highnesses, Prince Albert of Monaco and Princess Charlene with their twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, for their Christmas Card 2020

Wishing Princess Charlene full recovery this holiday season so that she can get reunited soon with her family in Monaco

THE NETHERLANDS

Below photo is not an official Christmas Card for the Dutch royal family but it was posted in their official instagram account to mark the holiday season. 

It is believed taken during the arrival of Princess Alexia from Wales where she is currently studying.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Queen Maxima and their three daughters, Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane

The heir, Princess Catharina-Amalia, just turned 18 this month and officially inducted into the Council of State as its newest member.

Update: 

Today, December 24, the Dutch royal family released Their Majesties Christmas Card taken at their residence in The Hague. 

Christmas Card portrait of the Dutch royal family

The family portrait also included their fur friends. With Queen Maxima holding the latest addition to the family, Mambo.

BELGIUM

The Belgian royal family's Christmas Card 2021

King Philippe of the Belgians and Queen Mathilde's Christmas Card portrait with their four children: Princess Elisabeth, the Duchess of Brabant, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eleanore.

The Belgian royal family in 2019 Christmas time

SPAIN

The Spanish royal family traditionally released Christmas Card family portrait each year. King Felipe VI has two daughters with his wife, Queen Letezia. And the eldest, Princess Leonor is his heir. She is 16 years old now and currently attending school in Wales, UK, the same school with Princess Alexia of the Netherlands.

Infanta Sofia (left) and her older sister, Leonor, Princess of Asturias. Spanish royal family Christmas Card 2020

Their Majesties, King Felipe VI of Spain, Queen Letezia and their two daughters, featured in their Christmas Card this year

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas celebration and a prosperous New Year! May the warmth of the holiday season bring you comfort in this difficult time.