Kate Middleton's Latest Family Photo Has a Poignant & Meaningful Connection to the Royals' Past

We guess we shouldn’t be surprised that there was a special significance behind the location of Kate Middleton’s recent family photos. After all, the royal family and the Princess of Wales especially are known for making meaningful nods to other members of the family. (Remember how she wore a blue polka dot dress when first photographed with a newborn Prince George just like Princess Diana did when she welcomed Prince William?)

So we doubt it was just happenstance that the photos were seemingly at a beach that other royals used to frequent. On Father’s Day and on Prince William’s birthday (just a few days apart!), the Prince and Princess of Wales shared photos on Instagram of the future monarch with his kids Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.

Both photos were taken at a beach that looks an awful lot like Holkham beach in Norfolk, and in footage from Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute, a young King Charles, Princess Anne, and their late father, Prince Phillip, can be seen playing at the same beach.

“We always had fun playing hide-and-seek in those dunes,” King Charles said on the BBC program.

The beach, which is located near the Sandringham Estate, was also a favorite walking spot for both the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother, per Hello! Plus, it’s a mere half-hour drive from the Wales family’s countryside home, Anmer Hall. It might have even been the location of a sweet family video from 2021.

In the two photos that Middleton took earlier this month, her family is seen enjoying those beloved dunes. In the Father’s Day photo, the proud father and his kids had their arms wrapped around each other and looked out at the ocean. They’re all dressed casually in shorts and cotton shirts, and one royal fashion expert thinks they made a strategic choice by wearing blue.

Then, for Prince William’s 42nd birthday, the royal family shared what might just be our favorite picture of the family yet. In the stunning photo, Middleton caught her husband and kids in the air as they held hands and jumped for joy with huge smiles on their faces. It’s so laidback and joyous — and made all the more special now that we know it might have been taken at such a poignant location.

Before you go, check out Prince Louis’ most hilariously chaotic moments.