‘Tis the season to gather with our families and celebrate by sending out smug Christmas portraits; the annual photographic seasonal humblebrag.
As the royal family are ‘just like the rest of us’, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are jumping on the festive tradition bandwagon and have posed for some stoic family photos with little George and Charlotte.
Yet observers Twitter-wide have noticed something a little strange in the edits.
Kensington Palace shared the new (apparently odd) photograph of their family, which features on Their Royal Highnesses’ Christmas card this year, taken earlier in 2017 by photographer Christ Jack at Kensington Palace.
No, it’s not the staid background which makes the photo set look a little like a GAP advert for terribly posh folk. No, it’s not that their photo shoot was wildly upstaged by the new power couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Here’s a clip of them being cute for you to bask in a while:
The family photo, in regal pale blue hues, has people up in arms (ahem) over something of a more anatomical nature.
A trick of light? A weird perspective? A lost limb?
Prince William isn’t wearing a wedding ring!
It’s not like it’s common knowledge that William doesn’t wear a wedding ring or anything.
Some have also pointed out Kate’s arm seems to be missing:
One began the hashtag ‘WhoHasKatesArm’, which literally tens of people have since used.
Others have suggested a cheeky answer to the question with a series of emoji euphemisms:
Meanwhile, one Photoshop genius made the rather plain family portrait ‘a little more festive’.
He offered this alternative:
Meanwhile Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s official engagement photos have been released – looking a little more relaxed and ready for Christmas – but did you spot the secret message?
Taken by photographer Alexi Lubomirski, the photos give a nod to Harry’s late mother Princess Diana, known as the people’s princess.
Lubomirski was in fact the protégé of Mario Testino, the man who took the last official photos of Diana before her death in 1997 at the age of 36.
This subtle nod is the perfect tribute and also links her to the next generation of royals who will undertake the same humanitarian work and impact on the world that Diana did.
Thanking the newly engaged royal couple, Lubomirski wrote on his Instagram:
A huge thank you to His Royal Highness Prince Harry and Ms Markle, for allowing me to take their official engagement portraits.
Not only was it an incredible honour, but also an immense privilege to be invited to share and be a witness to this young couple’s love for each other.
I cannot help but smile when I look at the photos that we took.
Lubomirski met Testino while making the rounds in London, adding to his portfolio after finishing at the University of Brighton, and quickly joined him in Paris as his assistant.
As well as taking the last official photos of Diana, Testino also took Prince William and Kate Middleton’s official engagement photos.
Perhaps he could give the Duke and Duchess another session in the studio to jazz up the portraits for 2018.
And maybe next year we’ll see Will’s ring.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.