Prince William and Kate Middleton release Christmas card days after Meghan and Harry’s sparks controversy

The Prince and Princess of Wales have today released their 2024 Christmas card - just days after Prince Harry and Meghan's festive release hit headlines around the world.

Shared on X at 2pm today (Thursday 19 December) on Kensington Palace's official account, the gesture has been shared in the form of GIF, which sees snow falling in front of a computer-generated image of a card.

The card itself features a photo of Prince William and Kate Middleton alongside their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

It is believed that the family photo was taken the same day that a video was filmed where Kate announced she'd concluded chemotherapy, which she began earlier this year after a March cancer diagnosis.

The note attached reads: "Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year."

The release comes just days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released their own Christmas e-card, which itself caused mass controversy online.

The release comes just days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released their own Christmas e-card, which caused mass controversy online.

Harry and Meghan - who resigned from their royal duties in 2020 before fleeing from the UK to the States - shared their version on Monday (16 December) with anyone subscribed to their joint charity, the Archewell Foundation.

For the first time, the couple opted to arrange their card in the form of a collage, made up of images from their year together.

A handful of the snaps were taken during their 2024 humanitarian projects - including some from their August trip to Colombia - whilst one included the couple with their children, Archie and Lilibet.

The latter sees the youngsters - who, for the image, were photographed in public for the first time in three years - could be seen from behind running up to their parents, whose arms were outstretched, awaiting a hug.

Harry and Meghan's card previously came under fire for several reasons.

Some viewers accused the couple of having generated the image of their children using a computer - due to the number of alleged inaccuracies - whilst others wondered whether the young children really are Harry and Meghan's children.

The format of the card has also been thrown into question, with royal expert Grant Harrold accusing the couple of massively breaking protocol.

Speaking exclusively to Tyla on behalf of Slingo earlier this week, Grant - who previously served in Buckingham Palace as the official butler to Harry's father, King Charles III - firstly pointed out the 'mistake' made by the Sussexes by comparing it to other royal couples.

"A traditional royal Christmas card we’ve seen from the King or the Princess of Wales is normally just a photograph," he began.

"Since I’ve been working with the Royal family, it’s always been quite simple with one photograph.

"Harry and Meghan’s card this year is very different. It’s more of a montage.

"[This] isn’t the correct thing to do. It’s not very Royal."

That said, however, William and Kate's latest release being in the form of a GIF also breaks the protocol that Grant discusses, being that never before have the couple opted to send their card in this way.