The release of the official Royal Family Christmas cards is a much-anticipated moment for royal enthusiasts across the globe. It's a cherished tradition that dates back centuries and today celebrates royal custom, as well as often raising awareness for charitable causes.
The 2025 Christmas card from the King and Queen features a photograph taken in the grounds of Villa Wolkonsky in Rome during their state visit to Italy in April. The greeting inside reads: "Wishing you a very happy Christmas and New Year".
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King Charles wears a smart, bold blue suit, while Queen Camilla is dressed in a tailored white dress with a lily of the valley brooch.
It's a much more informal image than the one sent in 2023, which featured them in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace following the Coronation.
When did the Christmas card tradition begin?
Like many Christmas traditions, Christmas cards date from the Victorian era and it was almost 200 years ago that the world's first Christmas card was sent.
In 1843, busy civil servant and entrepreneur Sir Henry Cole commissioned an artist friend to design a card he could send in place of his usual Christmas letters. This marked the creation of the first-ever commercial Christmas card.
The Royal Family were quick to adopt the tradition.
Who was the first Royal to send a Christmas card?
Queen Victoria is said to have been a fan of the Christmas card tradition. Many of the earliest cards in the Royal Collection were made by her children to be given to their parents and extended family.
The first royal Christmas cards were sent in 1923 after the introduction of the penny post. In the 1920s, cards with black and white images showing the Duke and Duchess of York (the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother) and their three-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth of York (later Queen Elizabeth II) were popular.
The tradition was continued by Queen Elizabeth II and featured images of her growing family. She and Prince Philip were known to send around 750 cards each year, usually featuring a family photo. Signed warmly with 'Elizabeth R' and 'Philip' alongside their official cyphers, the cards were sent to family, friends, royal staff and leaders across the UK and Commonwealth.
Which Royals send cards today?
King Charles III, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales (who often share theirs on official social media channels) carry on the custom of sending official Christmas cards, sharing seasonal greetings with family, friends, and officials across the UK and Commonwealth.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex no longer receive mail via the official royal household channels, since stepping back from senior royal duties. They don't appear to send out an official card, either.
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Who receives Royal Christmas cards?
Royal Christmas cards are traditionally sent by senior members of the Royal Family to a mix of personal and official contacts. Recipients typically include close family and friends, members of the Royal Household and staff, political and diplomatic figures in the UK and Commonwealth. They also send them to charities, military regiments and institutions they have a formal or personal connection with.
How do I send a Christmas card to the Royal Family?
To send a Christmas card to the King and Queen, address it to: His Majesty The King, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA.
To send a card to the Prince and Princess of Wales, use the address: TRH The Prince & Princess of Wales, Kensington Palace, London, United Kingdom, W8 4PX.
For Princess Anne, use the address: The Princess Royal, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA.
Include a return address and you might receive a reply.
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Main image: the 2025 Christmas card for King Charles III and Queen Camilla is displayed on a table in Windsor, United Kingdom. Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images/PA
