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Original poster

to think William and Kate's Christmascard this year was badly judged?

625 replies

tinkywinkyshandbag · 10/12/2021 19:36

So not only has William been hectoring us about climate change and sustainable travel, but there's been a pandemic which has been a pandemic which for many people has been financially devastating, and for most of us a holiday seems a distant pipe dream. So this year of all years they have chosen a photo of themselves all looking tanned and relaxed on a (presumably free) holiday. Just feels a tad ill judged?

OP posts:
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8
Choirgirl2021 · 10/12/2021 22:55

@Wannakisstheteacher

Do you really think she is photoshopped? I think she looks good but that something is amiss but I put it down to heavy makeup?

MrsHookey · 10/12/2021 23:07

I also thought it relayed how out of touch they are with the rest of the population. A view from a luxury holiday, in a year which has been shit for the serfs. Something more thoughtful & humble would have been the way forward.

Slowchimes · 10/12/2021 23:07

I'm veering towards Republicanism but honestly they can't win can they?

Another photo in the English countryside and they'd be criticised for being boring or for not taking their dc anywhere interesting.

And if Kate didn't smile she would be criticised for looking miserable and not "appreciating her privilege" .

And yet it is supposed to be such fun being royal. I wouldn't want to do it for any amount of money. And I wouldn't want myself, my DH or my DC subjected to this level of scrutiny either.

Thinking about it, perhaps a photo from the Scilly isles might have been more politic this year. But then that would have probably been intruding on Prince Charles's patch. Who would have thought a simple Christmas photo would be such a nightmare to get right?

Alltheblue · 10/12/2021 23:14

Yes I think it was a bit. But they are probably like anyone else in finding it difficult to get a shot of everyone wearing synchronized clothes and looking benign.

julieca · 10/12/2021 23:17

Kate lived in Jordan for 18-months when she was 2/3 years old. She won't even remember living there.

@cabingirl that is an interesting theory.

julieca · 10/12/2021 23:21

@Alltheblue the clothing isn't synchronised though. The two "spare" kids are in blue, the heir is in khaki. Kate is wearing a dress, William is very casual in shorts.

GinnyMackesy · 10/12/2021 23:26

The Goose That Laid The Golden Eggs?

CPL593H · 10/12/2021 23:29

@mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork (love your name BTW, hem-hem)

I agree, it does look like Petra. I'm not going to comment on the whole holiday thing per se but I don't think the setting is inappropriate. Too many Christmas cards with wintery landscapes and robins which inform all of us, when the actual setting for the Nativity story would have been very different indeed.

melj1213 · 10/12/2021 23:30

I like it, and tbh they are always going to get flack from someone no matter what picture they use so they may as well use one they like.

I also think that they are trying to tie their card into a general message that can cover all the bases and they can personalise the message inside the card depending on the recipient but it gives them a focal point.

So for Kates family they can have a message like "Happy Christmas Mum and Dad, wanted to share memories of taking the kids to one of my favourite places from when we lived in Jordan - remember when I almost got lost in the market here?"

For the charities and causes that they are patrons of they can include a message along the lines of "Visiting places that are important to you and sharing memories with your family is a great gift at this time of year, we cherish our memories of visits to X venue and hope to continue to share memories and important events with Y patronage this Christmas and many more"

And for the likes of Zara and Mike Tindall they probably get a personal note along the lines of "Merry Christmas guys! We had a whale of a time on this holiday, y'all should definitely go and make sure to try the ATV tours some time, they were brilliant!"

cabingirl · 10/12/2021 23:30

@luverlybubberly

I don't have actual insider knowledge but I think it was taken in the Oct half term when they were captured at the airport but no one heard any more about where they were going.

timesnewsnetwork.com/news/entertainment/prince-william-and-kate-middleton-are-spotted-outside-heathrow-airport-with-their-children/

On the other hand - it could have been in Summer too.

But I don't think it was an accident that this was the photo they chose for Christmas - and I'm sure they had other options - unless this was the only one in 2021 where Louis had his eyes open or something.

RaPumPumPumPum · 10/12/2021 23:31

Only problem I have was that we didn’t quite need to see so much of William’s crotch in too-tight shorts

SarahBellam · 10/12/2021 23:31

He looks like he’s pushing out a huge golden shite.

julieca · 10/12/2021 23:33

@melj1213

I like it, and tbh they are always going to get flack from someone no matter what picture they use so they may as well use one they like.

I also think that they are trying to tie their card into a general message that can cover all the bases and they can personalise the message inside the card depending on the recipient but it gives them a focal point.

So for Kates family they can have a message like "Happy Christmas Mum and Dad, wanted to share memories of taking the kids to one of my favourite places from when we lived in Jordan - remember when I almost got lost in the market here?"

For the charities and causes that they are patrons of they can include a message along the lines of "Visiting places that are important to you and sharing memories with your family is a great gift at this time of year, we cherish our memories of visits to X venue and hope to continue to share memories and important events with Y patronage this Christmas and many more"

And for the likes of Zara and Mike Tindall they probably get a personal note along the lines of "Merry Christmas guys! We had a whale of a time on this holiday, y'all should definitely go and make sure to try the ATV tours some time, they were brilliant!"

Kate lived in Jordan when she was 2/3 years old. Why would it be one of her favourite places? Lots of people don't remember being 2 or 3 years old, and when they do often the memories could be set anywhere. I remember at 3 years old seeing the sea. It could have been Margate or Marbella. And doesn't Williams memories matter? Your suggestions make it sound as if the card is from Kate alone and not both of them.
torquewench · 10/12/2021 23:38

@MrsHookey

I also thought it relayed how out of touch they are with the rest of the population. A view from a luxury holiday, in a year which has been shit for the serfs. Something more thoughtful & humble would have been the way forward.
Yeah, I was expecting W , C and family to stay in a static caravan in Talacre, I heard they love North Wales.🙄
melj1213 · 10/12/2021 23:39

@MrsHookey

I also thought it relayed how out of touch they are with the rest of the population. A view from a luxury holiday, in a year which has been shit for the serfs. Something more thoughtful & humble would have been the way forward.
How is it any more out of touch than them being royalty in the first place?

My parents live in a working class town in the NW of England that is literally one of the most deprived areas in the country. They are comfortably off since my dad works offshore (and has done for 40 odd years) and this year alone they have been abroad 3 times (Cyprus, Canada and Portugal); had multiple "staycations" around the UK and are currently preparing for a Christmas trip to the USA/Canada to visit family.

Not everybody in the UK is a minimum wage front line worker (and as a supermarket worker who has worked 40/50hr weeks all year myself, I am more than aware how shit this year has been for some of us) who has be locked up indoors for the last year and hasn't had any kind of treat.

Even I have managed a few weekends away with friends and family, it might not have been to Jordan or the USA but I don't begrudge other people from being able to travel and have a nice family holiday just because I haven't been able to afford it this year.

julieca · 10/12/2021 23:44

I think it is unusual to have had multiple holidays abroad during the pandemic. And more people than normal have not had any holidays abroad.

EishetChayil · 10/12/2021 23:47

I find it weirdly hilarious how Louis is the image of Kate's father!

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 10/12/2021 23:51

France had the right idea about how to deal with this shower of parasites.

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 10/12/2021 23:52

I'm not quite sure what they could have done that wouldn't have been subject to someone's criticism. And let's face it, none of us will be looking at it on their chimney breast, will they ?

julieca · 10/12/2021 23:55

Last years card was much better. They looked far more natural for a start.

melj1213 · 10/12/2021 23:55

Kate lived in Jordan when she was 2/3 years old. Why would it be one of her favourite places? Lots of people don't remember being 2 or 3 years old, and when they do often the memories could be set anywhere. I remember at 3 years old seeing the sea. It could have been Margate or Marbella.
And doesn't Williams memories matter? Your suggestions make it sound as if the card is from Kate alone and not both of them.

Hmm did you read my post? I was using examples of how they could use the one picture for both personal and "professional" purposes - the message is a suggestion of the kind of message Kate might put into a card for her parents so of course any personalised messages are going to be more from her just like I expect that any card to Prince Charles would be written by William and any personalised message would be from him.

My DD was born in Spain, we lived in Madrid till she was 5, she has since lived in the UK for 6 years, she still has memories from living abroad and she had lots of favourite places - just because children are small doesn't mean they can't have memories or favourite places.

When we go back to Spain I take DD to the places she used to love visiting and we will often talk about treasured family memories - like wandering down Grand Via admiring the Christmas lights; the artworks she used to say were her "bestest ever" from the Prado or Reina Sofia as we used to live nearby and visited frequently; the fact she named all of the lions on the Cibeles statue and we had to stop every day on the walk to/from school to say hello to them all ... they are all things we talk about fondly and I imagine that as she gets older and has her own family, if she ever went back to Madrid with them then she might also share those "memories" with them, even if she can't physically remember them any more.

julieca · 10/12/2021 23:58

@melj1213 fine.
Personally I think the theory someone else posted about diplomacy is far more likely. We know the RF are used for government diplomacy all the time. And that would explain the strange choice of Petra, even if not the terrible posing.

Toomuchtoodo · 10/12/2021 23:58

I thought it was a lovely happy family scene.

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 10/12/2021 23:58

@MrsHookey

I also thought it relayed how out of touch they are with the rest of the population. A view from a luxury holiday, in a year which has been shit for the serfs. Something more thoughtful & humble would have been the way forward.
Where do you suggest ? Anmer Hall, buck house, Kensington ? Or should they go and have some pictures taken in the depths of Peterborough to pretend they don't live some massively privileged lifestyle ?

We all know they take private jets, have luxury holidays and more money than most of us will ever imagine. Their Christmas card is literally a drop of the proverbial in the wind.

julieca · 11/12/2021 00:01

@Toomuchtoodo do you really think that? Honestly? Because it looks so badly posed and they look so awkward. So I struggle to see how anyone could think that/
Last years card they looked happy and natural. I really don't think this years card does at all.