The Royal Family, much like the rest of us, have finished celebrating Christmas and the new year, and as such they’re now returning to everyday life. For Princess Charlotte and her siblings, that means heading back to school, though it turns out she might also have some other essential objectives to attend to.
Before Christmas, Prince William and Kate Middleton shared a new family photo on their official Instagram for their annual Christmas card. A few days later, fans got another treat—a picture of just their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, sitting together and smiling at the camera.
While many saw the photo as a sweet holiday moment, some online viewers noticed something about Princess Charlotte that they believe might be significant.
Like other children, the royal kids enjoyed a well-deserved holiday break from school during the Christmas season. The royals also followed their own festive traditions. One highlight was a special carol service hosted by Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on December 8. This marked the third year in a row that the event, broadcast on Christmas Eve, brought the royal family together for the holidays.
Kate’s carol service for Christmas
“The service will be a moment to thank all those who work to support babies, young children, and families in our communities across the UK and a celebration of the golden opportunity that the birth of a new baby brings,” the Palace announced a month ago.
Two years ago, Kate performed on the piano for the carol service. PR specialist Andrew Bloch shared that by hosting the festive carol service, the Princess of Wales is likely to gain more popularity, further solidifying her position as a future queen.
“What Kate has done brilliantly is elevating her status and position within the broader royal family brand. Having a slot on Christmas Eve, it’s evidence of her appeal,” he told Mirror.
“If ITV didn’t think there would be any audience interest in that, they wouldn’t give her that slot, which is a prime time slot over the Christmas period. Not necessarily consciously a power move, but she is positioning herself as a key member of the royal family and developing a brand in her own right.”
Andrew Bloch added: “Through her activities over the course of the last few years, she’s really started to win a place in the nation’s hearts. We’ve got to know her, not just as Prince William’s wife but as the Princess of Wales and as a personality in her own right.”
Westminster Abbey’s “Together at Christmas” carol service was a huge success. Of course, their parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, were present, as were Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
They witnessed performances by vocalists Adam Lamberg and Beverley Knight, and throughout the evening, the royal kids displayed their compassion.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis spent Christmas at Sandringham
In a special card box, as mentioned by the Mirror, George, Charlotte, and Louis shared one-of-a-kind Christmas cards on which they included messages for children who may be finding Christmas difficult.
So, what does the Royal Family do on Christmas Day? After waking up from a formal Christmas Eve dinner, which often includes Norfolk shrimp and lamb, it is said that they enjoy a traditional English breakfast featuring eggs, sausages, bacon, and beans.
Following their usual visit to St Mary Magdalene Church, they sit down for a Christmas lunch, with roast turkey as the main dish.
At 3 p.m., the Royal Family gathers to watch the annual Christmas speech on television – Queen Elizabeth’s speech was a special moment for many. This year marked King Charles’ second time delivering the speech. During his address, he talked about faith and compassion, and expressed his gratitude to the “selfless army” of volunteers.
“Over this past year, my heart has been warmed by countless examples of the imaginative ways in which people are caring for one another – going the extra mile to help those around them simply because they know it is the right thing to do: at work and at home; within and across communities,” Charles shared in his Christmas speech.
“My wife and I were overjoyed when we had the opportunity to host hundreds of representatives from that devoted group of individuals – volunteers who make such an impact on their communities in countless ways and with remarkable dedication – at Westminster Abbey for the coronation earlier this year.”
He continued: “They play a crucial role in our society. Their attendance meant a great deal to us and highlighted the true essence of the coronation itself: primarily, a reminder for all of us to serve one another, to show love, and to care for everyone.”
In his Christmas message, King Charles wished for “peace on Earth and goodwill to all.”
In addition, Charles addressed the ongoing global conflicts, expressing his hope for peace.
“At a time of increasingly tragic conflict around the world, I pray that we can also do all in our power to protect each other. The words of Jesus seem more than ever relevant: ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you. Such values are universal, drawing together our Abrahamic family of religions and other belief systems across the Commonwealth and wider world,” he said.
He continued, emphasizing the importance of empathy: “They remind us to imagine ourselves in the shoes of our neighbors and to seek their good as we would our own. So on this Christmas Day, my heart and my thanks go to all who are serving one another; all who are caring for our common home; and all who see and seek the good of others, not least the friend we do not yet know. In this way, we bring out the best in ourselves. I wish you a Christmas of ‘peace on Earth and goodwill to all’, today and always.”
The Royal Family has numerous time-honored traditions, including those related to behavior and etiquette.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams shared some of these long-standing customs in an interview with The Sun.
For instance, getting to Sandringham is more complicated than just pulling up to the gate whenever you chance to be in the area. No, it seems that knowing which sequence to arrive in is crucial.
In order of seniority, the royals often arrive the day before Christmas. “First to arrive are the least important members,” Fitzwilliams told The Sun.
The traditional royal Christmas cards
Another tradition is the annual Christmas card shared with the public. This year’s card featured a black-and-white photo of William, Kate, George, Charlotte, and Louis, with no festive backdrop or elaborate setting.
“Our family Christmas card for 2023,” the caption stated.
William and Kate opted for the straightforward black-and-white image without any decorations in the background. A source from the palace revealed that this choice sends a message about their desire to provide their children with a sense of normality.
“Those children look pretty happy with life,” the palace insider told People Magazine earlier this year. “A lot of it is the stabilizing normality Kate brings — and that’s how she grew up. William absolutely loves it.”
“Coming from a different background, she appreciates the importance of having family time,” a source close to the royal household added. “She wasn’t brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day.”
This year’s Christmas card photo was taken by photographer Josh Shinner, who captured the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children.
As he explained in a post on his Instagram page, he also saw the theme of normalcy.
“It was such a pleasure to photograph The Prince and Princess of Wales and their family for the Christmas portrait this year,” Shinner shared on his Instagram page. “Without doubt one of the most relaxed and enjoyable sittings I’ve ever had, and I now have a whole new set of jokes that are right on my level thanks to the children…”
Princess Charlotte’s latest Christmas photo has fans swooning.
He mentioned that he preferred not to reveal the jokes made by the children, but we can only imagine they share the same great sense of humor as their parents.
Shinner didn’t just have the chance to capture the official Christmas card photo of the Prince and Princess of Wales with their family. In addition, he took several other pictures, one of which featured only the three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The black-and-white photo showed the three siblings sitting together on a bench, with Princess Charlotte wrapping her arms around her brothers.
George and Charlotte are smiling at the camera, while Louis is looking off to the side. The message on the card read, “Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, from our family to yours! W & C.”
While many royal enthusiasts were thrilled by the surprise photo on Christmas, some noticed something remarkable about it. A few remarked that it seemed one sibling was the “boss,” and that person appeared to be Charlotte.
“Wonderful photo of the young princes and princess. Merry Christmas to you all, your Royal Highnesses,” one user commented on X, formerly known as Twitter, as reported by Express.
Another added: “What a beautiful child! You can see that Princess Charlotte is going to be the glue that will keep the brothers together.”
A third commented: “Aww what a beautiful picture and surprise!!! Thank you so much. Merry Christmas to the entire Wales family! We all love you very much.”
“It’s so easy to see who is in charge of this sibling group”
It’s not just royal enthusiasts who have noticed how Princess Charlotte appears to take charge when she’s with her siblings. Body language expert Judi James spoke to The Sun, noting that it’s clear she is “in charge.”
“It’s so easy to see who is in charge of this sibling group,” she remarked. “Sitting in the middle of the pose between her two brothers, Charlotte sits splayed in signal of confidence.”
James elaborated, saying, “With an arm round each brother, suggesting she sees herself as not only in charge when necessary but also in the role of protector. Her body language role mirrors both her mother here, but also Princess Anne in the look of perhaps being the strongest and most grounded member of the sibling group.”
The expert also noted that Princess Charlotte’s big smile reflects her pride in her brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis, and that the way her feet are planted demonstrates her confidence and resolve.
“Louis leans in to demonstrate his admiration and respect for his older sister. “That one swinging leg between them suggests that he sees her as a playmate,” she told The Sun.
As for George, James stated, “George is increasingly the grown-up in the trio: his torso is a little more detached, but his body language is the most symmetric. His smile is even, and his legs are splayed, indicating that he is growing in confidence as he gets older.