Alongside the pictures, Sophie and Edward wrote: ‘Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year’

Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex have signed their parents’ 2025 Christmas card, despite their decision not to use their prince and princess titles.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh unveiled their Christmas card this week, showing off their September trip to Japan.

Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, shared two pictures from their five-day visit to the country.

One showed the prince crossing an old wooden bridge while on a hike, dressed in a polo shirt and using two walking sticks.

Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex have signed their parents’ 2025 Christmas card, despite their decision not to use their prince and princess titles.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh unveiled their Christmas card this week, showing off their September trip to Japan.

Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, shared two pictures from their five-day visit to the country.

One showed the prince crossing an old wooden bridge while on a hike, dressed in a polo shirt and using two walking sticks.

Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, signed their parents’ Christmas card this year | PA / SHUGO TAKEMI / BRITISH EMBASSY TOKYO / CHANDRA SHEKHAR KARKI

The other featured Sophie “taking the high road”, as the duchess looked out at the scenery posing in front of a mountain.

A third image inside the card depicted Sophie and Edward smiling towards each other during a sumo wrestling match at the Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.

Alongside the picture was a touching message reading: “Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

The card was signed by Sophie, Edward and their two children, Lady Louise Windsor, 22, and James, Earl of Wessex, 18.

The images are captioned: ‘Sophie taking the high road and Edward taking the slightly wobbly one’| SHUGO TAKEMI / BRITISH EMBASSY TOKYO / CHANDRA SHEKHAR KARKI

This comes just days after James turned 18 on December 17, and his decision not to inherit a princely title, as was also the case for his older sister after her 18th birthday in 2021.

The Duchess of Edinburgh previously told Good Housekeeping: “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living.

“Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”

Regarding James, a friend of Prince Edward and Sophie told the Mail earlier this week: “That’s the last sort of thing he’s interested in.”

The card was signed by Sophie, Edward, Louise and James | SHUGO TAKEMI / BRITISH EMBASSY TOKYO / CHANDRA SHEKHAR KARKI

The back of Sophie and Edward’s Christmas card showed the Duke and Duchess’s insignia, featuring an E overlapping an S, for the pair’s initials.

The Edinburghs’ photo comes just a couple of days after the Prince and Princess of Wales shared their own Christmas card, featuring Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The picture of the Waleses was taken in April 2025 for Prince Louis’ seventh birthday.

The Prince and Princess of Wales accompanied the photograph with the caption: “Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas.”

Princess Kate and Prince William’s Christmas card was released earlier this week | JOSH SHINNER

The family photoshoot by Josh Shinner was held in Norfolk, a stone’s throw away from their Anmer Hall home.

Kate and William, both 43, used pictures from the shoot to mark both Prince George and Prince Louis’ birthdays this year.

They also utilised the occasion to capture a photo of Prince William with his three children for Father’s Day.

King Charles and Queen Camilla opted for their 20th wedding anniversary portrait as their 2025 Christmas card.

The picture was captured at Villa Wolkonsky, the British ambassador’s residence in Rome, by photographer Chris Jackson in April.

The image showed the couple smiling in the grounds of the residence during their State Visit to Italy earlier this year | BUCKINGHAM PALACE

The image showed the couple smiling in the grounds of the residence during their State Visit to Italy.

King Charles wore a blue pinstripe suit complemented by a grey tie and silk pocket square.

Meanwhile, Queen Camilla chose a white and beige coat dress by Anna Valentine for the photograph, accessorised with the Lily of the Valley brooch, a Fabergé piece previously owned by the Queen Mother.

The flower traditionally represents new beginnings, marital happiness and the “return of happiness”.