To ring in 2022, Kate Middleton and Prince William, a.k.a. the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, shared a rare photo of themselves holding each other’s hands romantically in the back of a car. 

The photo is not very scandalous, but for royals like Kate Middleton and Prince William, this is the equivalent of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker making out with visible tongue in public. On New Year’s Eve, the official Instagram account for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge) shared the photo, which was taken the evening of the No Time to Die film premiere in London back in September. 

Check out the photo here. 

Although the pic was not actually taken on New Year’s Eve, it definitely has a NYE vibe. For the No Time to Die premiere, Middleton wore one of her most stunning red-carpet looks to date. The glittery gold-embellished Jenny Packham gown with a cape is more eye-catching than her usual looks, which tend to lean very classic and preppy, and sans glitter. 

For the special occasion, Middleton wore her hair up with some braided pieces. She complemented the shimmering gold gown with gold jewelry, including statement drop earrings, and wore natural but glam makeup. Prince William wore a sharp black tuxedo, because you can’t go wrong with a classic!

Kate Middleton and Prince William had a pretty low-key holiday season, so sharing a memory from a happier time a few months ago is spot-on and deeply relatable. Due to a worldwide surge in COVID-19 cases, the queen canceled the royal family’s usual gathering in Sandringham. “This Christmas will be different to what so many of us had planned,” the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrote in an Instagram post on December 25. “From those who are alone or having to isolate away from loved ones, to the incredible people supporting our NHS and caring for those most in need—we are thinking of you. W & C.”

As ready as we are for this crazy year to end, we are devoted to making the most of Christmas 2021. Look us in the eye and tell us you don’t need a little holiday sparkle! And while the Omicron variant has made big parties an iffy idea at best, many families will be able to have intimate celebrations with vaccines, boosters, and testing. Hey, even Kris Jenner was willing to cancel her big annual holiday bash.

Of course, Hollywood’s A-List still wanted to get into the holiday spirit, and tons of celebrities made the most of the season with gifts, trees, decorations, and seasonal treats. From the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch dropping her first single (who saw that coming?) to Octavia Spencer’s genius idea for making 2022 great, it’s truly been a creative and unexpected X-mas.

Here’s how your favorite celebrities celebrated Christmas 2021:

The Kardashian-Jenners

Kris Jenner reportedly canceled her annual holiday party because of rising Covid numbers, but that didn’t stop the matriarch from partnering up with her daughter Kourtney Kardashian and son-in-law-to-be Travis Barker to record her own version of “Jingle Bells.” Kooky fun!

“Kris will still get her daughters and grandkids together on Christmas Eve, but that’s it,” a source also told TMZ.

On December 24, Kim Kardashian shared some adorable Christmas photos featuring Kris, Khloé Kardashian, Khloé’s 3-year-old daughter True, Rob Kardashian’s 5-year-old daughter Dream, and Kim’s children: 8-year-old North, 6-year-old Saint, 3-year-old Chicago, and 2-year-old Psalm, according to People. 

Khloé shared a few more:

While that part of the Kardashian-Jenner clan was decked out in PJs, Kendall Jenner shared a more glam series of photos, wearing a full-on gown in front of two Christmas trees.

Kate Middleton and Prince William

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared a message on Christmas after the Queen canceled the Royal Family’s gathering in Sandringham. “This Christmas will be different to what so many of us had planned,” they wrote in an Instagram post on December 25. “From those who are alone or having to isolate away from loved ones, to the incredible people supporting our NHS and caring for those most in need — we are thinking of you. W & C.”

Reese Witherspoon

On December 23rd, the Legally Blonde star called her Big Little Lies co-star Laura Dern to wish her a Merry Christmas and, we assume, co-ordinate Secret Santa for all the Power Ladies of the industry. Except Dern didn’t pick up. Dernit.

Laura Dern

The very next day, Dern called Witherspoon back…and Reese didn’t pick up! Dern also revealed she was enjoying some cookies with her sister. Oh, you ladies.

Kelly Clarkson

The “Wrapped In Red” singer told followers she was looking forward to spending the holiday with her kids.

Alex Rodriguez

The former Yankees slugger revealed that his December 24th plans included yoga and hanging with his family and friends, plus eating some traditional Dominican dishes. Yum!

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen

Based on a recent Instagram post, it appears Legend and Teigen took the kids to spend the holidays in a very cozy cabin where they’ve been taking some “very cold strolls” and toasting marshmallows. 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex wished fans a happy holiday by sharing a family photo featuring their 2-year-old son Archie and six-month-old daughter, Lilibet Diana. It was the first image they have shared of their newest addition, who was born in June.

“This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a ‘Mama’ and a ‘Papa’, and Lili made us a family,” they wrote underneath the photo taken by Alexi Lubomirski. “As we look forward to 2022, we have made donations on your behalf to several organizations that honor and protect families – from those being relocated from Afghanistan, to American families in need of paid parental leave.”

The couple finished their holiday message, writing, “Wishing you a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year, from our family to yours! As ever, Harry, Meghan, Archie & Lili.”

Jennifer Garner

Kerry Washington

Billie Eilish

Hugh Jackman

Kate Hudson

Kim Cattrall

Mariska Hargitay

Octavia Spencer

Angela Kinsey

Ashley Tisdale

Gwen Stefani

Tia Mowry

Jennifer Coolidge

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All I want for Christmas is to listen to Jennifer Coolidge read The Nightmare Before Christmas about 100 more times. Thank you, Netflix.

This post will be updated.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton’s annual family Christmas card photo is here—and this one is a little different. 

The new pic was taken on the Cambridge’s private vacation to Jordan earlier this year, Kensington Palace said. That’s evident in the family’s casual attire, specifically Prince William’s—he’s wearing shorts (!).  Meanwhile, Middleton is wearing a flowy olive green dress. Their children (Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis) look as adorable as ever. I know they are siblings, but Charlotte and Louis truly look so much alike. 

See the pic for yourself, below: 

“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pleased to share a new photograph of their family,” the statement from Kensington Palace reads, per People. “The photograph, which features on Their Royal Highnesses’ Christmas card this year, shows the duke and duchess with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis in Jordan earlier this year.”

On Instagram, the Cambridges wrote simply, “Delighted to share a new image of the family, which features on this year’s Christmas card.” 

Kate Middleton doesn’t talk often about motherhood, but what she has said in the past has been poignant. “It’s so hard,” the duchess said in 2019. “You get a lot of support with the baby as a mother particularly in the early days, but after the age of one, it falls away. After that, there isn’t a huge amount—lots of books to read. Everybody experiences the same struggle.”

The year prior, in a letter for Children’s Hospice Week, Middleton wrote, “Spending quality time together is such an important aspect of family life and for me, as a mother, it is the simple family moments like playing outside together that I cherish. I hope you will join me in supporting Children’s Hospice Week this year. Together we can champion the vital role that children’s hospices play in helping seriously ill children and families to have more precious moments.” 

Unfortunately, that’s when the prince realized he forgot the words. “But the Centrepoint young guys and girls were there all loving it and cheering away,” he remembered. “So I thought, ‘Well, if they’re enjoying it, then the night is for them. So sod it. I can’t be the doofus who’s going to ruin it for everyone.’”

Still, the prince was internally screaming—as anybody would. He continued, “and so I desperately try and remember some of the words and sing as hard as I can. Beneath my black tie, there was a lot of sweating going on. I felt like a swan, where I was trying to keep myself composed on the outside, but inside, the little legs are paddling fast.”

Prince William also shared a fond memory about singing in the car with his mom, Princess Diana, who was particularly fond of the Tina Turner song, “The Best.”

“When I was younger, Harry and I, we were at boarding school. And my mother used to play all sorts of songs to kind of while away the anxiety of going back to school,” he shared, per People. “And one of the songs I massively remember and has stuck with me all this time, and I still, to this day, still quite enjoy secretly, is Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’ because sitting in the backseat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment. And my mother, she’d be driving along, singing at the top of her voice. And we’d even get the policeman in the car, he’d be occasionally singing along, as well.”

He added, “When I listen to it now, it takes me back to those car rides and brings back lots of memories of my mother.”

Prince William’s episode Apple Fitness+’s Time to Walk series drops on Apple Music on December 6.

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The royal family would like to remind us not to believe everything we read (or watch), thank you very much. 

A two-part BBC documentary about the notoriously vicious British press’s relationship to princes Harry and William has prompted a rare joint statement from three generations of the monarchy, and speculation that the royal family might boycott the network.

The Princes and the Press, the first part of which aired November 22, looks at the way the two princes were reported on during their young adulthood and culminates with the engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Per the BBC, it’s as much about the brothers as it is about the way the media treated them, and “the film examines some of the illegal activities engaged in by some newspapers in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including hacking and ‘blagging,’ and how these techniques were used to target members of the royal family and their associates.” Part two, which will air on November 29, covers 2018 to 2021.

None of the royals have participated in the documentary but were, according to BBC guidelines, asked for comment. And part one reportedly ends with a joint statement from Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, and Clarence House (a.k.a. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Prince William), saying, “A free, responsible and open press is of vital importance to a healthy democracy. However, too often it is overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources that are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility.”

We’re pretty sure that’s British for “cut it out.” There had been reports in the Daily Mail that the family was so unhappy with the direction of the program that they might “boycott” the channel. But as we’ve just been reminded, unnamed sources aren’t the most reliable, so take that rumor with an enormous grain of salt.

There is at least one interview in the doc that the royals should be happy about, though: Gavin Burrows, an investigator at News of the World in the early 2000s, apologizes in the film for his “ruthless” pursuit of Prince Harry and then girlfriend Chelsy Davy. “There was a lot of voicemail hacking going on, there was a lot of surveillance work on her phones, on her comms,” he admits, per Sky News, saying he was “very sorry” and admitting, “I was greedy, I was into my cocaine, and I was living in a fake state of grandeur.” Continues Burrows, “I was basically part of a group of people who robbed him [Harry] of his normal teenage years.”

A decent mea culpa, and better late than never?

The Snowball Fight

The world (rightfully) doesn’t usually see photos when the Cambridges go on vacation. But during a 2016 ski trip to the French Alps, they did a photo call that resulted in a highly adorable snowball fight.

The Honey, You’ve Got Something Right There…

Nothing says “We’ve been together forever” like getting some schmutz off your partner’s face while sitting in the royal box at Wimbledon.

The Wedding Feels

During Princess Eugenie’s 2018 wedding, cameras captured Middleton affectionately touching her husband’s leg. Prince William also lent a gentle hand to his wife’s back as they walked through the church. Weddings make everyone feel sentimental, guys—even royals!

The Arm Grab

It’s subtle, but we’ll take it.

The Irish Walk

Kate Middleton and Prince William’s most recent royal tour in Ireland has given the world a couple of very sweet moments as they walked in the country to Howth Cliff. Honestly, they should frame that one of them from the back.

At the Arcade

During an engagement in August 2020 at Barry Island in South Wales to speak with local businesses about the effect COVID-19 has had on tourism.

Together at the Earthshot Prize Awards

Click through to the third slide in this Instagram post from October 2021 to see Middleton resting her hand on Prince William’s back as they privately confer.

Prince Harry and Prince William reunited on Thursday, July 1, for the unveiling of the statue honoring their late mother, Princess Diana. This marks the first time the brothers have seen each other since their grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral in April. 

“Today, on what would have been our mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength, and character–qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” Prince William and Prince Harry said in a statement, according to People.

The statement went on, “Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy.” For more specific details on the statue, click here, and check it out for yourself, below: 

From the photos, Prince Harry and Prince William’s reunion seemed pleasant and cordial. However, it’s difficult not to think about the rumors of tension that have been swirling around since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. If there are still hurt feelings, they were seemingly pushed aside for the day. 

Prince Harry mentioned that he’d be in the U.K. for this unveiling while giving a speech at the 2021 Diana Awards, which honors young activists. 

“Later this week my brother and I are recognizing what would have been our mum’s 60th birthday, and she would be so proud of you all for living an authentic life with purpose and with compassion for others,” he said, according to Harper’s Bazaar. “Our mum believed that young people have the power to change the world. She believed in your strength, because she saw it day in and day out. And in the faces of young people exactly like you, she witnessed a boundless enthusiasm and passion, and I, too, see those same values shine through.”

Though he’s now a Californian, Prince Harry is currently back in the U.K. to attend the unveiling of a statue of his late mother, Princess Diana, alongside his reportedly estranged brother Prince William. And just like Princess Diana’s iconic wedding gown currently on display in a museum, this event provides yet another opportunity to revisit the Diana Era of the royal family and for fans and friends to pay their respects to her memory. Here’s everything we know about the statue.

It will be unveiled on July 1.

The public will get its first look at the artwork at Kensington Palace on what would have been Princess Diana’s 60th birthday. 

It was designed by Pip Morrison and sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley.

Morrison also designed the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace. Prince Harry and Prince William commissioned the statue back in 2017, per German outlet Deutsche Welle, and the brothers said in a statement, “It has been 20 years since our mother’s death and the time is right to recognize her positive impact in the U.K and around the world with a permanent statue. Our mother touched so many lives.” Prince William and Prince Harry were 15 and 12 years old, respectively, when she died in a tragic car crash in Paris.

The crowd at the unveiling will be small.

In addition to Prince Harry, Prince William, Rank-Broadley, and Morrison, only a small number of guests have been invited to attend, as COVID-19 restrictions are still in place. Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, stayed home in California, having given birth to the couple’s second child less than a month ago. Prince William’s wife, Kate Middleton, may or may not be in attendance, as she wasn’t mentioned in the details offered by the palace, per People.

Both Prince Harry and Prince William are expected to speak at the event and will likely act cordial to one another despite widely rumored tensions. 

Their father, Prince Charles, will not be in attendance; he and Princess Diana had a famously tumultuous marriage, and Vanity Fair reports he will allegedly skip the event to avoid resurfacing “old wounds.”

Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their son, Prince George, attended a Euro 2020 soccer match at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday, June 29, and there was a little matching-fashion action going on. Father and son looked strikingly similar in dark suits and striped ties, bringing whole new meaning to the term “twinning.” Check out the ensembles for yourself, below. (They’re not fully identical, but come on: There’s definitely some coordination happening here.) 

Middleton, meanwhile, looked chic in a red jacket with her hair styled down and in loose waves. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton are essentially back to business as usual, attending various engagements in person around the U.K. In April 2020, the Duke of Cambridge opened up about his family’s pandemic life. “We’ve been talking to all the family online,” he said in a a video interview with the BBC. “It’s been a really good way of keeping in touch and seeing each other.”

“As you can imagine, the younger generation are a little bit more tech-savvy. But only just,” Prince William continued. “I think we’re getting there now, the family are getting a little more used to being able to contact each other and pressing the right buttons and not dropping the computer halfway through.”

But the family has since returned to regular in-person gatherings. Prince Harry is even back in the U.K. right now to attend a statue unveiling honoring his late mother, Princess Diana. The Duke of Sussex recently gave a speech virtually to recipients of the 2021 Diana Awards, which honor young activists making positive impacts on the world. 

“Later this week, my brother and I are recognizing what would have been our mum’s 60th birthday, and she would be so proud of you all for living an authentic life with purpose and with compassion for others,” he said, according to Harper’s Bazaar. “Our mum believed that young people have the power to change the world. She believed in your strength, because she saw it day in and day out. And in the faces of young people exactly like you, she witnessed a boundless enthusiasm and passion, and I, too, see those same values shine through.”

Kate Middleton has many talents, but Prince William doesn’t think music production is one of them. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge‘s Instagram account recently shared a video of Middleton attempting to be a DJ, and let’s just say it didn’t go well. 

Hilariously so! The silly video shows the Duchess of Cambridge creating a beat while Prince William jokes about the sound. “Please turn that off. It’s hurting my ears,” he says. Middleton adds, “Sorry for leaving such a terrible song,” before saying, “Delete it, delete it, delete it.”

The IG caption reads, “Can rule out a music career ? Keep up the incredible work Scottish Violence Reduction Unit and please do delete that music.” Even if her music wasn’t the best, Middleton made up for it with her killer ensemble. The Duchess of Cambridge rocked a blue Zara blazer that looked very reminiscent of this Princess Diana look. 

The couple is currently on a tour of Scotland, and in a speech this weekend, Prince William reflected on the country’s significance to him. He said, via People, “Scotland is incredibly important to me and will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve been coming to Scotland since I was a small boy. As I grew up, I saw how my grandmother relishes every minute she spends here. And my father is never happier than when walking among the hills.”

He continued, “In short, Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories. But also my saddest. I was in Balmoral when I was told that my mother had died. Still in shock, I found sanctuary in the service at Crathie Kirk that very morning. And in the dark days of grief that followed, I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors. As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep.”