Having abandoned winter shots for several years, the Prince and Princess of Wales continue to surprise with their choice of shots for the Christmas card. And this time Kate Middleton and Prince William presented a black and white shot by fashion portrait photographer Josh Shinner. Over the years he has shot portraits for Vogue, Esquire, FT, New York Times and Wall Street Journal featuring Florence Pugh, Andrew Scott, Vanessa Kirby, Naomi Aki, Alexa Chung and many others.
Shinner’s photo, taken this year within the walls of Windsor with no unnecessary entourage, shows the Prince and Princess of Wales along with their children – Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte – in simple white shirts. All are smiling carefree, and only 10-year-old George looks very serious. This is not surprising. In recent years, the boy has become more involved in events that require the involvement of the royal family. And the subjects refer to the young prince as none other than the future king, and that puts a damper on things.
“Our family Christmas card for 2023,” the caption reads.
As for the photo itself, it may well seem gloomy for such a cheerful holiday as Christmas. However, this decision is just a reference to Prince William’s childhood photo taken by Lord Snowdon in 1991. The former husband of Princess Margaret, Elizabeth II’s younger sister, was one of the royal family’s favourite photographers and took many portraits of Princess Diana and her sons.
