As every December, the Royal Household has revealed its traditional Christmas greeting, and this year has been different and has not gone unnoticed.
With several notable novelties, the 2024 message pays an emotional tribute to the victims of the floods in Valencia, while offering an unprecedented image of the King and Queen with their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía.
Christmas Card of the Spanish Royal Family 2024
The main detail is the photograph used for the Christmas card, taken at the majestic Royal Palace and captured during the events that commemorated the tenth anniversary of King Felipe VI as monarch on June 19.
This change of setting for the postcard leaves behind the intimate poses like those in the gardens of the Palace of Zarzuela that they starred in 2021.
Like last year, the King and Queen have opted for an unpublished image, but captured at a public event.
Remember that in 2023, the postcard focused on Princess Leonor’s 18th birthday and her oath to the Constitution, this year the attention has turned to the commemorative acts of the King’s anniversary.
A tribute full of meaning
Beyond the photograph, this year’s greeting stands out for its heartfelt tribute to the victims of the catastrophe that devastated the eastern Spanish coast in October, leaving more than 200 dead and numerous families devastated.
The King and Queen wanted to dedicate a few words to those who suffered personal losses or face the difficult challenge of rebuilding their lives.
The tribute materializes with a fragment of a poem by the Valencian poet Francisco Brines, who received the Cervantes Prize in 2021 from the King and Queen themselves shortly before his death.
“and I seek a face that reflects light, someone who, like me, having only death, also has, as I did, overcoming it, life”
A hopeful message
The Christmas card was also accompanied by a congratulatory text, written in both Spanish and English, reflecting an optimistic spirit: “Merry Christmas and may we all face the New Year with greater confidence.”
Below the message are the signatures of King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and their daughters, completing a gesture of closeness to the citizens.
It should be noted that the structure of the greeting also breaks with tradition. For the first time, the image of the Royal Family appears on the outside of the card.
In previous years, the photograph was usually reserved for the interior of the postcard.
Christmas Card of the Emeritus King and Queen
As is customary, Juan Carlos I and Sofía of Greece have also sent their own Christmas greeting.
Unlike the more personal and emotional one from the current King and Queen, the Emeritus’ is much more classic, using a Spanish artwork as the main image.
On this occasion, they have chosen the altarpiece of the Main Chapel of the Toledo Cathedral, reaffirming their sober and traditional style.