The Christmas card of the Prince and Princess of Wales this year
contains a special nod to their royal roles, hidden in plain
sight.
The portrait on the card shows William and Kate with their three children sitting
in field that has just come into bloom with a flower that marks the
start of spring but has a particular resonance for the Wales
family.
For all five are surrounded by daffodils, the flower of
Wales.
It’s a quiet acknowledgement of their links to a country that
has meant a huge amount to the Prince and Princess of Wales since
the earliest days of their marriage.
The Princess of Wales wore a
large daffodil on her visit to the country ahead of St. David’s
Day
(i-Images / Pool)
William and Kate spent several years living in Anglesey
following their 2011 wedding and enjoyed some of baby Prince
George’s earliest months in the country.
The couple have often spoken of their fondness for Wales and
took Prince George and Princess Charlotte there on one of their
earliest engagements.
Prince William was made Prince of Wales on September 9 2022 by
King Charles in one of the first acts of his new reign.
Since then, the Prince and Princess of Wales have made
continuous visits to the country, the latest coming a fortnight ago
when William was in Newport to celebrate the country’s business
community.
George and Charlotte visited
Cardiff Castle on one of their earliest engagements in 2022
(Stephen Lock/ i-Images)
The daffodil has become the national flower of Wales as it
blooms around March 1 which is St. David’s Day and the country’s
national day. It’s also seen as a symbol of new life and hope and
it was promoted as a symbol by David Lloyd George, one of the most
famous politicians of the early 20th century, who was fiercely
proud of his home country of Wales.
The title of Prince of Wales has been given to the heir to the
throne of England (later the British throne) since the 14th
century. The first monarch to bestow it on their heir was King
Edward I who made his eldest surviving son, Edward, the Prince of
Wales in 1301. It was seen as a symbol of Edward I’s power as he
completed his conquest of Wales.
The next monarch to give the title to his heir was King Edward
III who took the throne in 1327. Since then, the title has been
created for many heirs to the throne. It always merges with the
Crown when the holder becomes monarch and it is up to the new king
or queen to decide whether to create it again for their own
heir.
It’s become one of the most famous titles in royal history but
it has some quirks. It’s never been created for a female heir –
Elizabeth II never held the title of Princess of Wales. And it is
never created for anyone other than the direct heir to the
throne.
The King and Queen chose a
photo taken in Rome for their wedding anniversary for their
Christmas card
(Chris Getty/ Buckingham Palace)
William and Kate chose to follow King Charles and Queen Camilla
by selecting a spring image for their Christmas card. The King and
Queen used a portrait taken of them in April as they marked their
twentieth wedding anniversary.
The photo of the Wales family was taken by Josh Shinner who also
captured the birthday images of Prince George and Princess Louis
which were released by the royals this year. Princess Charlotte’s
birthday portrait was taken by her mum, Kate.
The Royal Family will gather at Sandringham to celebrate
Christmas together and it’s expected that King Charles will be
joined by Prince William on the walk to church on Christmas
morning.