Kate and William release poignant Christmas card

The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared their annual Christmas card with the world after the most “brutal” year of their lives.

IN LONDON

The Prince and Princess of Wales have released their annual family Christmas card – with a poignant nod to their “hardest year”.

The festive message features a still of the royal couple and their three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince George, 6 – from the video statement released by Kate in September, in which she announced that she had completed chemotherapy.

“Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas,” the card read.

The Wales’ have released their Christmas card. Picture: Kensington Palace/The Prince and Princess of Wales

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During a visit to Cape Town last month, Prince William opened up about the family’s “dreadful” year amid both his wife and father’s cancer diagnoses.

“It’s been dreadful … It’s probably been the hardest year in my life,” he told reporters, adding he just had to “crack on” with life.

“So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.

“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for ­handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”

Harry and Meghan's Christmas card.

The release of the Wales’ card comes after Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, released their own holiday message.

The Montecito-based royals shared a variety of pictures, including an image of their rarely-seen children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.

“On behalf of the office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archewell Productions and Archewell Foundation, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful New Year,” it read.

Originally published as Kate and William release poignant Christmas card