The Spanish Royal Family once again chose an unpublished photo for its Christmas greeting. It has become a tradition for King Felipe and Queen Letizia, along with Princess Leonor and Princess Sofia, to choose a special moment of the year and turn it into their official card.
This time, they used a photo taken on October 25th during the presentation of the Exemplary People Award in Valdesoto, Asturias. A beautiful autumn scene, very much in line with the natural style they’ve been pursuing lately.
Why did they choose a photo from that day in Valdesoto?
The choice was not accidental. The Royal Household explained that they wanted to highlight small municipalities and agricultural and livestock regions, as well as the landscapes that typically accompany this event.
That day, without cameras around and in a more relaxed atmosphere, one of the official photographers took the opportunity to capture the four of them together. And here’s a key detail: there weren’t many opportunities this year for the whole family to be together, so this image holds special value for them.
Does the Royal Family follow a specific protocol for these congratulations?
There is a clear line. In 2022, a photo was created specifically for Christmas, featuring Leonor and Sofía. In 2023, they changed their approach and used an image taken during the princess’s coming-of-age celebrations. Later, they recovered another one from the celebration of King Felipe’s ten-year reign.
This year, the idea of a spontaneous snapshot of a symbolic day related to the Princess of Asturias Awards is repeated. There’s nothing new about their looks, by the way, because they’re wearing exactly what they wore in October.
And what happened to the congratulations from the emeritus kings?
There was a variation here. Juan Carlos and Sofia moved away from the classic paintings that used to appear on their cards and opted for something more intimate: a picture of the Queen Emerita’s pets.
The image shows dogs of various breeds. In the center is what appears to be a Shih-Poo, flanked by two white Schnauzer puppies, with the two English Cocker Spaniels at either end.
A curious and, I would say, quite tender twist. It shows that even royalty can make small, surprising personal gestures.