Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Christmas card 'closed the door on their family life'
From 2022, the Sussexes began highlighting their career, as opposed to their family
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2022 Christmas card drew a line between their private family life and their public persona, according to an expert.
As fans eagerly await the release of their annual festive card, experts suggest that the Sussexes’ previous holiday messages have quietly revealed a great deal about their shifting priorities and public image.
According to renowned body language analyst Judi James, one card in particular may have marked a symbolic turning point: the couple’s 2022 Christmas card.
In comparison to previous years, the 2022 card featured neither of their children and ditched festive cheer in favour of glossy, black-and-white glamour.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘closed the doors’ on family life with Christmas card
“This card looks like a symbolic closing of the doors on their family life,” Judi told The Sun‘s Fabulous. “They’ve surgically removed any feel of Christmas warmth and family cheer for a stunning emphasis on power-couple styling.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began their Christmas card tradition in 2018, just months after their royal wedding. That year’s card was a romantic black-and-white image taken during their evening wedding reception at Frogmore House.
For their 2019 Christmas card, they introduced baby Archie in a relaxed family shot. Meanwhile, their 2020 card was an illustrated version set in their Montecito garden in California following their move to the US. It also showcased their first holiday season after stepping away from royal duties. The message was clear: home and family came first.
Their 2021 Christmas card was a fan favourite, showing the couple with Archie and baby Lilibet, who made her public photo debut. The family appeared barefoot in denim, laughing and carefree.
“This pose looks like the perfect response to any suggestion that Harry might have done the wrong thing in leaving his royal role,” said Judi. “Their bare-footed posing… is emphatically symbolic in terms of registering their ‘freedom’.”
Meghan and Harry’s Christmas cards
But in 2022, the tone changed dramatically, according to Judi. Instead of a cosy family photo, the couple released a black-and-white image of themselves at a glitzy event. Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, were notably absent.
“This is an abrupt change of Christmas image from ‘parents’ to ‘power couple’,” Judi observed. “It’s a US society look, a status look, and also a business look. Cosy jumpers and jeans swapped for elegant, formal designer-wear.”
The strategic shift aligned with the release of their Netflix documentary, making it clear that their brand had evolved.
No longer focused on family snapshots, the Sussexes appeared to be drawing a line between their public work and private life.
In 2023, their holiday card was sent on behalf of Archewell, their charitable foundation. It featured a photo from the Invictus Games closing ceremony, not a Christmas tree in sight.
“They are dressed again as a celebrity power couple,” Judi noted of the card.
And in 2024, their message focused almost entirely on humanitarian work, spotlighting visits to Nigeria and Colombia.
Still, among the official shots was a small family moment: Archie and Lilibet racing into their parents’ arms, offering a rare glimpse behind the curtain.
Read more: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry warned of ‘make or break’ Christmas: ‘There’s no easy solution’
So, what do you think of Harry and Meghan’s Christmas cards over the years? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsider. We want to hear your thoughts!
