Prince William, Princess Catherine and Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s Christmas card ‘reveals everything about the rift’

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Christmas card showcases family closeness, while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s card was viewe…

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Christmas card showcases family closeness, while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s card was viewed as distant and corporate.

Prince William and Kate Middleton delighted fans this week with the release of their 2024 Christmas card, featuring a touching photo of their family. The card, shared on social media, includes Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also unveiled their Christmas card, offering a rare glimpse of their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Their card featured six images, including a touching moment where the couple opens their arms to embrace their children.

Speaking to The Mirror UK, body language expert Judi James described, “Harry and Meghan’s card was primarily corporate, a ‘Round Robin’ update on the duo’s best bits of the year with each carefully selected and collected pose and each photo looking like a PR exercise to show them in their ideal state in terms of glitteringly successful, caring, loving, passionate and global.”

“It is us gazing at them rather than a personalized message of good tidings with them looking at the camera and therefore us. This creates a state of admiring them from a distance rather than knowing them or feeling warm bonds.”

Body language expert analyzes Royal Christmas cards

While addressing the image of Archie and Lilibet, James told The Mirror, “Their picture with their children sees Archie and Lilibet from back view only and shot from the kind of distance that makes it look ironically like a paparazzi photo.”

“With William and Kate’s card, we have a facing-the-camera, close-up view of what looks like very open and honestly shared emotions from both parents and children. This is the family image we saw in Kate’s video update of her illness,” she explained.

James noted that the body language hints at the family’s resilience, with “Charlotte is seen with protective arms around her mother and brother, almost clinging them together. William holds his arm around Louis, but his hand is gently cupping Kate’s thigh. Kate’s rituals also look protective as she places one arm around her children with the other reaches for her husband and younger son.” 

“While Harry and Meghan have quite understandably decided to create a distance in terms of family reveals and allow their desire for privacy to dominate the photo they chose, William and Kate seem to have treated the public like members of their own family and shared their smiles and emotions with us,” she concluded.