The Prince and Princess of Wales have offered the public a rare, personal glimpse into their year by sharing a previously unseen collection of their favourite photographs from 2025. The couple selected one image from each month, capturing a broad spectrum of their official duties, charitable passions, and intimate family moments.
A Year in Review: From Solemn Duty to Family Joy
The collection begins on a profoundly solemn note with a photograph from January's Holocaust Memorial Day service in London. The royal couple, each holding a candle, are seen in quiet contemplation at the event, which this year marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. They described meeting survivors as a 'great honour'.
February's image shows the Princess of Wales visiting a mother and baby unit at HMP Styal in Cheshire in her role as patron of Action for Children. Kate, looking relaxed, chatted with mothers in the gardens, highlighting the vital importance of early childhood bonds.
In March, Kate embraced the festive spirit, dressed in green and pulling a pint of Guinness for guardsmen at the Irish Guards' St Patrick's Day Parade at Wellington Barracks. The following month, during a tour of the Inner Hebrides to mark their 14th wedding anniversary, a playful side emerged. The Duchess of Rothesay was photographed peering through makeshift cardboard binoculars on the Isles of Mull and Iona.
Family, State, and Global Engagement
May provided a touching family moment as Prince William and their eldest son, Prince George, listened intently to a veteran during a Buckingham Palace tea party for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. June saw a rare cameo from King Charles alongside Princess Anne and Prince William at Trooping the Colour, where William notably wore a black armband for Air India crash victims.
The summer months highlighted global and cultural engagements. In July, an elegant Princess Kate presented the Wimbledon men's singles trophy to Italy's Jannik Sinner. August captured her joy as she launched a series of animated films through her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, a project she was 'closely involved' in creating.
September returned to high-level diplomacy, with a photo of the couple approaching Marine One to welcome President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to Windsor for a US State Visit. William lightened the moment with humour, joking 'This is my father' as he gestured towards the King.
Statesmanship, Earthshot, and Festive Cheer
Prince William's diplomatic role continued in October with an audience at Buckingham Palace with Estonian President Alar Karis, reaffirming support against Russian aggression. The tone shifted dramatically in November for the lead-up to the Earthshot Prize in Rio de Janeiro, where the Prince was photographed enthusiastically playing volleyball barefoot on Copacabana Beach.
The year concluded on a festive note in December with William, as Colonel of the Welsh Guards, laughing with fellow guardsmen over a beer at the regiment's Christmas party in Combermere Barracks, surrounded by festive fare.
This curated selection provides a unique, behind-the-scenes narrative of a year in the life of the modern monarchy, balancing weighty responsibility with personal passion and family life.
