Behold, the Wales family Christmas card for 2023. I cannot believe this is real and something which William and Kate both signed off on. Everybody’s already made the jokes – it’s giving Olan Mills 1984, it’s giving JC Penney mall studio, it’s giving no imagination whatsoever. While many can make a case for the Wales family copy-keening the Sussexes’ 2021 Christmas card, a better case could probably be made for the Wales family copying the Danish royals, who did a similar card a few years ago. One thing that flies under the radar is that Kate really does copy everything Crown Princess Mary does, it’s just that Kate also style-stalks Meghan constantly too.

What bugs me about this card is the same thing that bugged me about last year’s Christmas card, which was so obviously taken in the summer months: it’s not festive or Christmasy or seasonal in the least. If you’re going to do family photos in a studio – why would you even do that if you’re royal – then can you at least make the backdrop festive or seasonally appropriate? Put the family next to a Christmas tree or a green-and-red background. Something else besides all of this grey dead space. My guess is that we’re supposed to think that they’re so modern, doing this edgy black-and-white card. But it looks dated and like an image from a true-crime docuseries.

Also: the British papers have decided, en masse, to call this Kate’s attempt at “California cool.” Which is… weird. I guess it’s their way of saying that Kate & William stalk everything Harry & Meghan do and wear.

I’m including some pics from Kate’s Christmas concert – for many of the bigger events these days, photo agencies include black-and-white images for some reason. I guess the palace is dictating that? Also: at the Together at Christmas event, Kate had a little mailbox set up so all of the rich children could send holiday cards to poor children. Like… does the UK not have Angel Trees? This was a perfect opportunity to ask people to bring gifts for poor kids.

2023 Christmas card courtesy of Josh Shinner for Kensington Palace, additional photos courtesy of Avalon Red.