Inside the card the couple have penned a characteristically warm message

Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence’s festive greetings for this year have been unveiled ahead of schedule after appearing on the social media on Tuesday.

The 75-year-old Princess Royal had not yet formally released the card when images surfaced online, offering royal watchers an unexpected preview.

 

The elegant yet understated design showcases a photograph captured during the couple’s significant trip to Sark in May, when the Channel Islands commemorated Liberation Day on the 10th.

Photographer Aaron Chown took the image, which depicts Anne and her 69-year-old husband beaming as they made their way through the island by traditional horse-drawn carriage.

Princess Anne

The 75-year-old Princess Royal had not yet formally released the card when images surfaced online, offering royal watchers an unexpected preview. | GETTY

Their destination was La Coupee, the dramatic narrow pathway linking Sark’s main island to the smaller peninsula known as Little Sark.

Inside the card, the couple have penned a characteristically warm message.

It read: “With Best Wishes for a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year from Anne and Tim.”

While senior royals typically distribute their Christmas cards through official channels, this year’s early appearance gave the public an unplanned glimpse at the couple’s chosen festive image before any formal announcement had been made.

\u200bPrincess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence

Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence’s festive greetings for this year have been unveiled ahead of schedule after appearing on the social media on Tuesday.| GETTY

The Princess Royal’s Christmas card follows the release of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s own festive greetings last Saturday.

King and Queen opted for a portrait marking their 20th wedding anniversary, captured at Villa Wolkonsky, the British ambassador’s residence in Rome, by photographer Chris Jackson.

The image shows the couple smiling in the grounds of the residence during their State Visit to Italy earlier this year.

King Charles and Queen Camilla

King Charles is sporting a blue pinstripe suit complemented by a grey tie and silk pocket square. | PA

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

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”.