Arresting Black-and-White Photo of This Royal Standing Alone Among the Trees Is My Favorite Pic of October

October has been quite the month for gorgeous photos of our favorite British royal family members—Kate Middleton and Prince William included. This shouldn't be too surprising as the royals have been extremely active now that their summer vacation is long over. We've had trips to the Vatican, visits from major world leaders and even stops at the pumpkin patch.

But with all the outings and all the eye-catching photos, a few moments stood out from the rest. Here, my three favorite royal family pictures of October 2025, ranked.

It was a momentous occasion just a few days back when King Charles and Queen Camilla joined Pope Leo XIV (and prayed alongside him) as part of an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel. It was this moment of public prayer beneath the Michelangelo ceiling that felt the most jaw-dropping—and which became my second favorite photo of the month.

The Sistine Chapel views, plus the solemnity of the service are on full display in the slideshow pics, which were taken by Vatican Media and posted to Instagram by the Royal Family.