Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2024 Christmas card has sparked significant debate online, particularly among royal experts.

One commentator has even suggested that the Sussexes may have made a serious error in how they arranged the card. This includes featuring their five-year-old son Archie and three-year-old daughter Lilibet in a way that allegedly violates royal tradition, stating to Tyla that they have “once again broken royal protocol.”

Harry and Meghan’s latest release has sparked a division among their supporters.

The card, which was sent to subscribers of their joint charity, the Archewell Foundation, featured a collage made up of photos from their past year together.

Many of the images were captured during their humanitarian efforts abroad, including from their trip to Colombia in August. One particular photo showed the couple with their children.

In this specific image, Archie and Lilibet, who were photographed in public for the first time in three years for this moment, were seen running towards their parents with their arms open, ready to embrace them.

This photo, however, has faced criticism, with some people suggesting that the image was digitally created, and others questioning if the children truly belong to Harry and Meghan.

The controversy isn’t limited to the image itself, but extends to the very fact that it was presented as a collage.

Grant Harrold, a royal expert and former butler to King Charles III, has weighed in on the debate, accusing Harry and Meghan of severely breaking protocol. Speaking exclusively to Tyla on behalf of Slingo, he pointed out the “mistake” made by the Sussexes, comparing it to the practices of other royal couples.

He explained, “A traditional royal Christmas card we’ve seen from the King or the Princess of Wales is normally just a photograph. Since I’ve been working with the Royal family, it’s always been quite simple with one photograph.”

Harrold emphasized the differences in Harry and Meghan’s approach this year, saying, “[This] isn’t the correct thing to do. It’s not very Royal,” as their card features a montage rather than a single photograph.

In contrast, Harry’s brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton, typically wait until Christmas Day to release their “royal Christmas portraits,” which have traditionally been a single image, often featuring their children, George, Charlotte, and Louis. This has been the pattern followed by the couple in the past as well.