You were impatiently waiting for it, here it is, here it is! On Sunday, the Prince and Princess of Wales unveiled their traditional holiday card on Instagram. A family portrait featuring William, Kate, George, Charlotte and Louis, their three children, immortalized by fashion photographer Josh Shinner. “Without doubt one of the most relaxed and enjoyable sessions I have ever had,” the latter confided on social networks.
A black and white photo which particularly contrasts with the royal couple’s greeting cards in previous years. Last Christmas, they gave us a bucolic outdoor photo in Norfolk with a sun too beautiful to be English. 2021 was placed under the sign of adventure, of travel, with a photo taken during a trip to Jordan.
And this year? The party is over, time for sobriety.
Starting with this choice of black and white, a surprising choice for a festive greeting card which is generally dripping with garish colors and good feelings. Some will remember its timeless grain and note the elegance of the play of contrasts. Others will see it as a somewhat austere family portrait like these old photos. creepy that we forget in dusty boxes in the attic. Let’s just hope that 2024 is not like this cliché.
And then there are these looks, light years away from ugly Christmas sweaters. Here, young and old are all in the same boat: black pants and white shirts with unbuttoned collars. Looks that couldn’t be more standardized and minimalist. A plan-plan or trendy dress code? And matching parents to children: is this really a good idea?
“ Quiet luxury ” Or ” old money » ?
“Their outfit is timeless, there are no markers too dynasty Or cottage », Analyzes Dinah Sultan, trend stylist at Peclers. If for her there is nothing modern about the photo, the looks and the staging are out of the ordinary. “Usually they are very dressed up, especially Kate Middleton with her dresses,” she notes. There they are in a studio, without a background and they have chosen a outfit without story, in a very idea quiet luxury “. Quiet What ? “Discreet luxury” in French, the big trend of the moment among stars and the ultra-rich, who advocate a return to clean lines, a sober aesthetic, without excessive logos or flashy accessories.
Be careful not to confuse it with the style old money, a very “old money” aesthetic (in opposition to the nouveau riche) whose wardrobe multiplies references to the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy. ” In the old money there will be a lot more markers, with the coat of arms, the tie… Here, there is a bit of that spirit but it is not marked enough. If you look at this photo without knowing Kate and William, you cannot guess that they are a princely couple,” emphasizes Dinah Sultan.
Another positive point of this dress code, the white shirts, both casual and elegant. “It still remains timeless. Afterwards, it’s the way it is worn and how it is cut that makes the difference. This is a clever choice,” says the stylist.
Does this mastery of simplicity make the Prince and Princess of Wales particularly stylish members of royalty and right on trend? Let’s not overdo it. “It’s quite traditional and at the same time not too flaunted, so more of a 2023 trend,” recognizes the stylist. Where it still remains the royal family is in the way it is worn, it still remains a bit plan-plan. There is no twist. »
Low profile, unity and lack of taste
Behind this outfit, there is also the message that the couple of the British monarchy wants to convey. And you will have understood, through this greeting card, Kate and William do not stand out for their extravagance. For Dinah Sultan, there is in particular the idea of keeping a low profile. “Overall, we are in a global period where we are calling for sobriety, in the face of inflation or the need to behave more ethically and more responsibly,” she explains. And what about this uniform of white shirts imposed on all members of the family? “For me, there is a very strong message of unity, a way of saying that they are together,” she adds. A symbolic way of standing up after a particularly turbulent year for the monarchy, marked among other things by the coronation of Charles or the paving in the pond of younger brother Harry with his memoirs…
If we understand the idea very well, one last detail puzzles us. Matching your children together, why not (we won’t judge you in any case), but is matching children with parents really a good idea? “That at the moment is very old money !, laughs the stylist. But it’s a mistake in taste. A child does not have the same style as his parents, they are not clones. Difference is also a value of inclusiveness and diversity in a family. I find it a little old-fashioned to dress everyone the same, even a little cringe. »
A mixed result for this annual greeting card, therefore. Do we give them encouragement?