On December 2, 2024, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene shared their 2024 Christmas photo on social media, writing, 'The Princely Palace is delighted to share the photo of the princely family's greeting card.' The photo, featuring Prince Albert, Princess Charlene, Prince Jacques, and Princess Gabriella, was captured by Éric Mathon.
I will probably be in minority but I don't see these photos as happy. The colours are rather dull and the faces serious apart from Prince Albert's smile... I get the feeling of a duty rather then celebration and joy.
ReplyDeleteAna Katarina
Sehe ich auch so! Vor allem alles andere als vorbildlich sind die Schuhe auf der weißen Decke. Da fehlt mir jeder Sinn das Bild ist voll daneben, so schade. Man kann sicher viel Gutes tun und Stiftungen unterstützen aber diese Kuscheldecke unmöglich sie so zu benutzen, wo so viele Menschen auf der Welt frieren müssen oder sich vielleicht ein Kind überglücklich fühlen könnte sich in diese einzukuscheln. Tut mir sehr leid, aber das ist alles andere als eine Weihnachts- und Adventsbotschaft. *Schrecklich - Dorothe-
DeleteI join your minority, Ana. There is not much happiness in these photos.
DeleteYou are not alone; besides, anyone with kids know how they "love" these kind of staged photos... :-) The color coordination is a bit over the top.
DeleteSounds like the unhappiness being in the eyes of the beholder not in anyone of the Princely Family.
DeleteI absolutely disagree! I have noticed that many of the discussion participants are speaking quite unkindly about the children of Monaco. Don't pretend that you can read their faces. Not everyone has a so-called "Hollywood" smile..
Delete2. I really like the shades of cream, gray and brown. They are pleasant, calming colors, typically winter and it seems pleasantly warm.
3. Dear Dorotea - at 16:25:. Your description of this Christmas photo of the Monaco family as "schrecklich", that is, "terrible" in English, just because they used a white blanket on the bench is wrong in my opinion. What do you think? Other royal families, celebrity families do not live in luxury? So it seems unfair to blame only the princely family in Monaco. I will tell you that I also have a similar blanket at home and I sit on it in front of the fireplace in my house.
Stephanie
I join there’s of the beholder- minority.
DeleteI join the eyes of the beholder-minority
Delete@Dorothe I don't understand your comments. Why do you care what they do with their blanket? If I understand, you are upset because the blanket can't be used by anyone other than this family because they put their shoes on it? It makes no difference what they do with their blanket. They can let the dog lay on it if they choose to. It belongs to them to do with as they please. Why would you think THIS blanket would be given to anyone else? Not only can it be cleaned, but if they are going to donate blankets or anything else to comfort those in need, they would donate new items, not their cast-offs. Your remarks give me the impression that you were looking for something to complain about.
Deletewell typical of Monaco family- all the money and smiles. i prefer their previous glam xmas cards
DeletePhoto sympa, style "vacances de Noël à la montagne".
ReplyDeleteJ'aime beaucoup la tenue de Charlène (surtout son pull) et tout est bien en harmonie : tenues de chacun et décor.
Un vrai sapin aurait été plus beau qu'un artificiel, dommage ça fait déco de magasin, et il manque aussi du feu dans la cheminée pour que ce soit plus chaleureux et plus vrai. Mais l'ambiance générale est agréable.
Paloma.
Une jolie photo ,Charlène et les enfants n aiment pas poser devant les objectifs.
ReplyDeleteGabriella et Jacques sont sérieux, ils suivent les consignes.
Des tenues simples sans tralala, j aime.
Froufrou
I think it's a lovely photo, with a non-traditional spin on the Christmas theme. There's nothing to suggest unhappiness in this photo. I like the ombre sweater that Jacques is wearing. A very Happy Christmas to all of them.
ReplyDelete- Anon 9:13
Agreed.
DeleteMESH
I agree, not everything has to be red and green. The clothes are not somber but lends to the gold theme.
DeleteI agree. My immediate thought was 'What a great photo!' (though I am a fan of festive red and green) Christmas greetings to this lovely family
DeletePlease allow them to be human, there is time to smile and to be cool and calm.
ReplyDeleteTotally AGREEEEEEEE
DeleteHappy to see traditional Christmas pictures which value the person who gets them. Saying: " We hope you will all spend a great time during your Christmas and New Year's Eve holidays and enjoy the true and important things in life: Dinners with family and friends surrounded by candles and warmth!"
ReplyDeleteAda
Nice informal clothing this year !!
ReplyDeleteOver-interpreting the picture once again takes certainly place here. I like this kind of "ski-lodge" approach as the 2024 Princely Monegasque Christmas theme. I don't overly mind stepping on the white blanket with shoes, this is a studio-like setup, a stageing, if you so will, and most of the decorations, accessories, and all, is serving as props, and have likely been chosen by the photographer in coordination with the Princely family. The blanket might get washed or dry cleaned, and therefore can be easily reused. No big deal. They all look cosied up as they should given the setting.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Every year, the royal Christmas cards are judged on the amount of red and green worn, and the level of "winter" portrayed in the photo. People and families are all unique, with individual preferences for their holiday cards. It would be very dull if all the cards looked the same for all families, year after year. We are all free to create our ideal holiday cards, including the royals. Critiquing a Christmas card is not in keeping with the Christmas spirit.
DeleteThis years image is as far away from last year’s glamours image as you can possibly get. It has a very rustic earthy feel to it.
ReplyDeleteWe expect these images from the other royal families,but from Monaco!s royal family,we’ve come to expect the glamour and the razzmatazz!
Maybe if they’d have lit the candles,or had a few logs burning in the hearth. It just feels a little basic and clinical.
All that said,they are a beautiful family. Albert smiles broadly as he knows he’s lucky to have such a beautiful family.
Lowri.
They are smiling all of them, not much but they are.
ReplyDelete@ Dorothe
The white blanket is probably an idea of the photographer. Only the kids shoes are on the blanket. I think their shoes are not dirty. Maybe they are new.
Jolie photo qui nous montrent que les jumeaux grandissent trop vite ; Jacques est devenu un bien mignon petit garçon !
ReplyDeleteCompared to some of the typical royal Christmas family pictures, this one lacks even a tiniest bit of emotion or phantasy, something that could make the viewer smile (I don't expect that the family members smile). Very stiff arragement, the white blanket is so unexpected und unexplainable, that it draws attention - I stare at it and don't understand. Photographers used this type of decoration in the first half of the 20th century. Same applies to the arrangement of the family members, pater familias standing high above each and every member of his family. Very unattractive as a whole, lacks taste, lacks everything.
ReplyDeleteSuperbe photo,simple,naturelle.
ReplyDeleteJe la préfère à celle de l'année dernière.
Beau décor
J'aime le ton doux des tenues.
Les jumeaux grandissent.
It's all a bit beige and bland, but everyone looks good. Love the hairstyle on Charlène - but otherwise there's not much to say fashion-wise. Which might well be appropriate - after all, Christmas is about family, not clothes.
ReplyDelete-Nika-
I like this Christmas card very much. With the tree, and the whole family looking beautiful and serene. I love the colors and the tranquility of the scene.
ReplyDeleteI don’t love the color scheme of this photo. It’s a little too bland for my taste. As for whether the twins look happy, well my own kids HATED photos at their age. It is totally normal for them to hate having their photos taken. My own kids would take turns making childish faces at the camera just to make me mad (which made no sense because if the photos didn’t turn out good, I’d just make them sit down and pose for MORE photos)!! It’s impossible to tell from these photos how happy this family is. But I’d say the fact that they have been so active together lately and making so many social appearances together is a very good sign.
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely photos Charlene looks radiant. Love her softer hairstyle. Love what she is wearing. The children are adorable.
ReplyDeleteAt least they willlook back on these photos and say “yeah, 2024. The beige year.”
ReplyDeleteNice photo, not going to overanalyze. Curious if that room is in their private quarters or in a public area of the palace. The bright Christmas colors will probably be at the gift distribution w/the school kids. Chris
ReplyDeleteI would like to make a comment about the infamous white throw (or blanket if you may) it is what you would use on the couch or sofa to cuddle up while you watch television and they just happened to put it on an ottoman. What is this fascination with that damn throw There are people starving and so many are focusing on an obviously luxurious throw used at Le Rocher their country estate. The family looks lovely. Leave them the hell alone (sorry Ms. Helen for my choice of words). Merry Christmas Ms. Helen and thank you for giving us posters something to look forward to with your blog!
ReplyDeleteI love the way you have expressed yourself! I couldn't have said it any better--and it needed to be said.
DeleteI love this photo. There is something of an understated elegance in it. The brown undertone is earthy and solid. It also looks happy to me. I think they are a lovely family
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love their outfits that coordinate beautifully with each other and the festive decor. Christmas clothes and decorations do not all have to scream red and green to be lovely and tasteful. This card is a 10 for me!
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