Royal family releases eight pictures from annual winter photo shoot

A series of images from the Dutch Royal Family's annual winter photo shoot was released by the Dutch government's communications office on Friday. The photos were taken at the Huis ten Bosch palace in The Hague, and their dog, Mambo, featured in some of the pictures.

The winter photo session has traditionally taken place during a ski trip to Lech, Austria, with King Willem-Alexander's mother, Princess Beatrix. The former queen was not present for this year's shoot in front of the family's large Christmas tree outside their palatial home.

The family said before they would make some changes to their photo shoots, opting for different locations and moments when the most family members can appear together. A little over a year ago, they stood for photographs at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Earlier this year, they posed at a beach in The Hague.

King Willem-Alexander, now 56 years of age, was joined for this year's photo shoot by Queen Máxima, who is four years younger. Their daughters, Princess Amalia, Princess Alexia, and Princess Ariane, are now 20, 18 and 16, respectively.

Their current study commitments have made it more challenging to organize the photo shoot on holiday.