Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmas card photo could be very different this year

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmas card photo could be very different this year after the release of their recent Netflix docuseries. 

• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven’t yet released a Christmas family photo like they’ve done in the past but they could continue this tradition. 
• If they do, it’s possible that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmas card photo could show Lilibet and Archie’s faces more clearly than before.   
• This royal news comes as we revealed Sophie Wessex's cream coat and matching rollneck dress are the perfect winter warmers and we can't get enough of her knee-high leather boots. 

Whilst fans might have been anticipating shocking revelations about royal life from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in their Netflix docuseries, there were also plenty of heart-warming moments. These included discussions about Prince Harry and Meghan’s first date spot and about how Prince Harry and Meghan actually met. There were also sweet clips and photos of their children, from their son Archie taking his first steps to a Lilibet when she was a tiny baby. 

In light of these adorable insights, it could be speculated that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmas card photo might be different this year if they continue this tradition of sharing one. 

In recent years fans have become used to Christmas photos and Sussex family photos more generally not directly showing Archie and Lilibet’s faces directly. Speaking on his The HeirPod podcast previously, Omid Scobie - author of the Finding Freedom biography - spoke about the photo they released for Archie’s 2nd birthday. This sweet picture showed him holding balloons with his face turned away from the camera and Omid said this was maybe only to be expected. 

He said, “This was, I think as we’ve come to experience from the Sussexes, it was a photograph of Archie, but not particularly clear.”

The Duke and Duchess’ Christmas card photo for 2020 shared by Mayhew was a unique take on the photos we typically see from the Royal Family. Theirs appeared stylized like a painting and again Archie’s face wasn’t “particularly clear”. 

Meanwhile, in 2021 there was excitement from fans when Prince Harry and Meghan’s Christmas photo was also the first photo of Lilibet released by her parents. In the sweet snap all four Sussexes are looking relaxed at their Santa Barbara mansion, with Archie facing side-on and Lilibet playfully held in the air by Meghan, also side-on to photographer Alexi Lubomirski’s camera. 

It’s understandable that given the intense scrutiny the couple faced both before and since they “stepped back” as senior royals they might’ve wanted to give their children more privacy and be careful about what photos of them are made public. 

However, the recent Harry & Meghan docuseries might be seen to suggest that the Sussexes have become more comfortable with sharing more personal photos, videos and insights into their children’s lives on their own terms. 

Because of this, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmas card photo for 2022 could perhaps give fans a clearer glimpse of Archie and Lilibet. Already this year they released a birthday photo of Lilibet with her directly facing the camera and the deeply personal snapshots shared in the documentary have continued this pattern of being comfortable sharing more. 

Though it’s not known for sure whether or not the Sussexes will release a special festive photo of their family, they have done in recent years and fans would likely be delighted to see a 2022 version.