The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared an intimate family photo featuring their children for this year’s Christmas card.

The picture features Harry embracing Archie’s face as the little redhead looks up at his father.

Meghan bends over to touch noses with the couple’s youngest child, Lilibet, as mother and daughter hold hands.

The picture has been taken on a small wooden bridge across a narrow creek, against a natural backdrop which is reportedly on their grounds of their California property.

Archie and Lilibet’s faces are hidden from the camera but their trademark red hair is backlit by sunlight.

“Happy Holidays! From our family to yours,” Meghan’s message reads.

A separate Christmas card for their Archewell organisation features a picture of Meghan and Harry in the snow.

That message declares: “On behalf of the Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Archewell, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful new year.”

It comes after the Prince and Princess of Wales released their 2025 Christmas card, which shows them and their children sitting in a field and surrounded by daffodils.

The image, released on Kensington Palace’s social media, shows Prince William and wife Kate – with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – sitting on the grass amid spring blooms.

Charlotte, 10, rests her head on her father’s shoulder and holds onto his arm, a relaxed Louis leans back sitting between William’s legs, and Kate has her arm around George.

“Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas,” the couple’s post reads.

The family snapshot was taken by photographer Josh Shinner in Norfolk in April.

It appeared to be the same photoshoot used to capture portraits for George’s 12th and Louis’ seventh birthdays.

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ Christmas card cover. Photo: Josh Shinner

The Waleses are spending the festive season together and are expected to join the King and rest of the royal family at Sandringham in Norfolk on Christmas Day.

The family of five experienced a major change a few weeks ago when they moved into their eight-bedroom “forever home”, Forest Lodge, in Windsor Great Park.

The change is seen as a fresh start for the Waleses after Kate’s recovery from cancer, which she announced at the start of 2025, following what William branded a “brutal” 2024.

Meanwhile, the King has been praised for pulling the “perfect” pint of Guinness when he helped launch of a brewery and visitor attraction on Thursday (British time).

The King stood behind the bar during his tour of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London in the heart of Covent Garden and was expertly guided in the ritual of creating a pint by Guinness experience ambassador Leo Ravina.

With glass in hand, he was told to hold it “at a 45-degree angle – very important – it’s not 46 or 44, precisely 45” and pulled the pump towards him. He stopped when the glass was about three-quarters full.

Drinkers famously have to wait for their pint of Guinness to settle before it can be topped up – with the total pouring process taking a precise 119-and-a-half seconds. The King chatted to his tutor before adding the last drops.

At the end of the process, Ravina said “that’s a perfect pint of Guinness” and the monarch quipped “if you say so”.

The finished pint was taken to a machine where the King marvelled as the words “Merry Christmas” and a sprig of holly were printed on the top of the pint using edible dyes. Finally, he could take a sip.

While at the centre, the King also had a taste test of beers produced by a micro brewery in the building’s basement, sipping on a porter, winter warmer and an apricot sour – which he declared didn’t taste like a beer.

“He did great, that was an ideal pint of Guinness. He’s got the job – he’s hired,” Ravina said afterwards.

—with AAP