The Prince and Princess of Wales have officially ushered in the festive season with the release of their annual family Christmas card, but a small, touching detail on Prince George's wrist has captured the public's attention.
A Sweet Symbol on the Future King's Wrist
The charming photograph, taken by Josh Shinner in Norfolk during April, shows the beaming Wales family sitting on grass surrounded by spring daffodils. Alongside Prince William and Catherine are their three children: Prince George, aged 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven. While Louis's toothless grin is a delight, eagle-eyed royal observers quickly spotted that Prince George was wearing a simple, blue-beaded fabric friendship bracelet.
This accessory is far from a one-off fashion choice for the young future King. George has been seen wearing similar bracelets in his 11th and 12th birthday portraits, as well as during an appearance at the Euro 2024 final in Berlin with his father. The trend appears to be a meaningful family tradition, with other senior royals proudly sporting similar handmade items.
A Cross-Generational Royal Trend
Just one day before the card's release, King Charles was photographed wearing a woven orange and red bracelet during a visit to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in London. The monarch has been seen with comparable accessories on several occasions, including during a visit to Guernsey with Queen Camilla last year. These are widely believed to have been crafted by his granddaughter, Charlotte.
Princess Charlotte herself is a fan, having worn two threaded bracelets—one in pink shades and another in green, blue, and pink—during a trip to Wimbledon last summer. Even Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, has been spotted wearing a fabric bangle at numerous engagements. While the trend echoes the popularity of friendship bracelets boosted by Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, the royal versions are simpler, made from plain-coloured thread without lyrical beading.
Festive Season Commencement and Family Updates
The Christmas card image, which appears to have been taken by the same photographer behind Prince Louis's seventh birthday portrait in April, was released just two days after William and Kate attended the King's annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace. For their official card, King Charles and Queen Camilla selected a portrait marking their 20th wedding anniversary, released on December 6.
The Wales family are expected to join the King, Queen, and other royals at Sandringham in Norfolk for Christmas Day. This follows a period of significant change for the family of five, who recently moved into their new eight-bedroom 'forever home', Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park. The move is seen as a fresh start following Catherine's recovery from cancer, which she announced at the start of 2025 after what Prince William called a 'brutal' 2024.
In other royal news, the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, is preparing to leave Royal Lodge in Windsor for a house on the Sandringham estate, having been stripped of his titles following allegations detailed in Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, which he vehemently denies.
