According to reports, Kate Middleton’s 2017 Christmas card broke a significant royal tradition.

Only a few days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their cards public on Monday, December 16, the Prince and Princess’ card was made available to the public earlier this afternoon, December 19.

Additionally, the two celebratory cards differ in a number of significant ways right from the start.

In particular, William and Kate only chose one complete family portrait, while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose six separate ones.

Interestingly, by refusing to disclose a single image, the couple was accused by a royal expert of violating royal procedure.

The loop was also posted on Kensington Palace’s official X account, and this year the Wales family released their Christmas card as a GIF.

“Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year,” the card’s message read, compared to the Sussexes’ which read: “We wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful New Year.”

A computer-generated Christmas card featuring a picture of the couple with their children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and six-year-old Prince Louis—in front of a sparkling tree and snow falling in the foreground.

However, the fact that the selected photo had already been viewed by the public was what broke royal precedent, not the GIF component of the card.

The family of five was photographed on the same day that a video was shot back in September, in which Kate disclosed that she had finished her most recent round of chemotherapy.

Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas ? pic.twitter.com/pL3t13sTlu

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 19, 2024

Given that William and Kate frequently release brand-new photos for their yearly Christmas cards, the decision to use the previously seen photo represents a significant shift in the custom.

In other news, King Charles had a pre-Christmas meal at Buckingham Palace today, but neither William nor Kate attended.

According to a royal source, the couple is already in Norfolk at Anmer Hall, their home on the Sandringham estate, as scheduled, and they are excited to spend Christmas with the rest of the Royal family at Sandringham.

The family of five frequently hides out at Anmer Hall during the school breaks.

A source told the Royal Observer: “Whether the Prince and Princess of Wales attend the King’s luncheon or opt for an early retreat to Anmer Hall, their choices will undoubtedly influence public perceptions of the Royal family’s balance between duty and personal life in this most bizarre of royal years.”