It’s that time of year again when we usually receive a photo card or two from our loved ones sending us good wishes for the holiday season, but this year a very famous family’s Christmas photo is attracting worldwide attention.
Prince William and Kate released their family picture just in time for Christmas and social media users went into overdrive, but this time the focus wasn’t on the couple but their 6-year-old daughter Princess Charlotte.
The royal couple shared a picture of their family including their three children Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3, which was taken during a private family trip to Jordan, according to Kensington Palace.
“Delighted to share a new image of the family, which features on this year’s Christmas card 
,” the couple wrote on Instagram on Friday alongside the new photo.
Almost 2 million people responded to the picture and noted how grown up the children look. But social media users were quick to point out the likeness between Princess Charlotte and her great grandmother the Queen.
An image appeared of her alongside one of the Queen as a child to show just how much she does look like her great grandmother.
It seemed like only yesterday that she was starting school. A source close to the palace said at the time she ‘had real character’ and was ‘excited’ to start school.
Though they may look alike the two royals’ lives are very different with the young Elizabeth staying home for her education receiving private tuition while Princess Charlotte is attending the same school that older brother George attends, Thomas’s Battersea, an independent mixed school in London.
While a Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company, was formed so Elizabeth could socialize with girls her own age, Charlotte gets to mix with boys and girls learning all the core subjects as well as art, ballet, drama, French, and music.
The Battersea-based school even offers after-school activities like fencing, pottery, and community gardening.
The focus has also fell on the adorable outfits that Charlotte is dressed in.
Her mother the Duchess of Cambridge is noted for her impeccable dress sense, always looking stylish, without being extravagant and melds the two perfectly with outfits that are befitting of a future queen.
Bethan Holt, author of a book about Kate’s style, said Kate was a trendsetter “loved by the nation, with an unquestionable influence on how people dress, style their hair and the places they visit,” according to Hello! magazine.
This now extends to the royal children with particular kudos given to fact their parents are happy to recycle their children’s clothes and dress them in hand-me-downs.
In 2019 fans noticed that Prince Louis was wearing the same outfit that Harry wore during his first Trooping the Colour event back when he was the same age as Louis.
Prince George has also been pictured wearing some of his father Prince William’s clothing from his childhood and sister Princess Charlotte appeared to be wearing her older brother’s shows in one of her birthday portraits.
Now the Mango Kids checked dress Charlotte wore in this year’s Christmas photo has become an instant hit and is now sold out.
Charlotte’s parents have been praised for the choice of clothing they pick, especially for Charlotte, who has worn clothes fitting of her age.
When a picture of her was released to celebrate her 2nd birthday Annie Holmquist in Intellectual Takeout noted how refreshing it was to see Charlotte dressed as a child.
“Is it possible that in treating children like children — both in the way we dress them and the activities we allow them to pursue — we will better prepare them for a natural, responsible transition to adulthood some day in the future?” Holmquist said.
Kate and William’s choice of Jordan for a family holiday was fitting as Kate lived there for two years as a child when her father worked for British Airways. William also previously visited Jordan as part of his tour of the Middle East in 2018.
In 2019 the royal Christmas card from the Cambridges featured an image of them much closer to home, taken at the family’s country residence in Norfolk, Anmer Hall, where the family of five posed in comfy sweaters sitting on haystacks.
The year before the couple chose another down-to-earth setting of the five of them looking casual in coordinating blue and green ensembles enjoying the outdoors again at their country home.