Kate Middleton and Prince William have released the first picture to show a good view of all the members of their family unit, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
They will be delighted that they have managed to control the first image to be released and have not been beaten to the punch by a sneaked paparazzi picture.
Will and Kate have guarded their privacy fiercely in recent months.
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The royals also announced today that Prince George is to start attending a Montessori school near the Cambridge’s home in Norfolk.
Traditionally, members of the Royal family do release photographs as Christmas cards at this time of year, however whilst the official statement from Kensington Palace did make mention of Christmas, it is not clear if Kate and William are planning to use the image, taken in an autumnal Kensington Palace garden in October, as a festive greeting.
The photograph shows the Duke and Duchess crouching with their two children at their London home. It was taken in late October by photographer Chris Jelf.
Mr. Jelf said, in a statement, “I thoroughly enjoyed photographing a very lovely family, although you have to be sharp as you don’t have long when there are two young children involved! I hope everyone enjoys this photo and I am honored that The Duke and Duchess have decided to share it with the public.”
The palace said, “The Duke and Duchess are hugely appreciative of all the warm messages they have received about their family this year and are very much looking forward to their first Christmas as a family of four.”
Simultaneously, the palace announced plans for Prince George to attend the Westacre Montessori School Nursery in Norfolk before the end of January, and issued a plea that his privacy and the privacy of other parents at the school be respected.
The Westacre Montessori Nursery have said: "We are looking forward to welcoming George to our nursery where he will get the same special experience as all of our children."
The palace briefed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were “grateful” for the public's support for the privacy of their young family, and said there has been “constructive dialogue … with a number of international media outlets in recent months”, following the issuing of an open letter in the summer pleading for the privacy of the young Cambridge children.