Princess Anne was among many royals who sent out heartfelt Christmas cards this year, but her choice of photo may surprise fans.
Unlike Prince William and Princess Kate's family photo with their three children, or King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla's loved-up picture, Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence were pictured admiring a portrait of the royal's late mother, Queen Elizabeth.
WATCH: Princess Anne missing from the royal family's Christmas Day church service at Sandringham
On display in Buckingham Palace's Throne Room, the painting by Nicky Phillips depicts Her Majesty, then aged 87, looking regal in a white dress and black cape with her beloved corgis at her feet. In the picture, Anne was dressed in a red blouse that matched the vibrant palace walls while her husband looked smart in a black suit.
"With best wishes for a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year," the message inside the Christmas card read, and it was signed in elegant black writing: "From Anne."
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The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence were pictured admiring a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II
The photo marked a sweet tribute to the Queen, who passed away at Balmoral on 9 September at the age of 96 with Anne and Charles by her side.
Anne's brother Prince Edward and sister-in-law the Countess of Wessex and Forfar similarly included the monarch in their Christmas card to mark the end of 2022. For their first festive season without Her Majesty, with whom they shared a close bond, Edward and Sophie chose to share a very poignant photograph of themselves standing alongside the Queen in June – just two months before the monarch's death.
© Sam HusseinKing Charles and Queen Consort Camilla's Christmas card was taken at the Braemar Games
Meanwhile, King Charles' Christmas card photo, taken by Sam Hussein, showed himself and Camilla wearing coordinating red and green outfits at the Braemar Games on 3 September 2022, five days before Her Majesty passed away.
The royal family traditionally attend a church service at Sandringham to mark Christmas, but this year, royal watchers noticed that Princess Anne was missing from the occasion.
The Princess Royal, 72, didn't join her children, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips at the church, and HELLO! understand this is because she had a cold.
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