.Kensington Palace have today issued the official family photo which will be used on the couple's Christmas cards
- .The picture shows William and Kate in the garden at Kensington Palace with Prince George and Princess Charlotte
- .Photograph was commissioned for personal use but couple decided to make it public because they liked it so much
William and Kate have marked their first Christmas since the arrival of Princess Charlotte by releasing a new family photograph.
The family portrait shows the royal couple posing in their garden with their six-month-old daughter and her brother George.
The photograph, taken in late October by photographer Chris Jelf, shows a relaxed-looking Duke and Duchess of Cambridge crouching down with their children amid the autumn leaves at Kensington Palace.
But it's George and Charlotte who steal the show, with the two-year-old, dressed in schoolboy shorts and a knitted jumper, grinning mischievously into the camera, while his chubby-cheeked sister - whose shoe has fallen off into the grass - rests on her mother's lap nearby.
This is the photograph of William, Kate, George and Charlotte which was used on Christmas cards sent to the couple's family and friends
Meanwhile William, who is casually dressed in an open-necked shirt and a v-neck jump, looks every inch the proud father as he casts a watchful eye over his lively little son. A red pull along steam train, from Orange Tree Toys, is in the forefront of the photo.
The photograph, which was used on the Christmas cards sent out to the couple's family and friends, was released this morning by Kensington Palace.
It is the first time the family have released a photograph at Christmas and only the second official portrait of the family of four. A Kensington Palace spokesman said the photograph was commissioned for their own use but that the couple decided to make it public because they liked it so much.
The release coincided with the announcement that George is due to start nursery at a Montessori school in Norfolk at the end of January.
A spokesman said: 'A new family photo - Merry Christmas from The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
'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. ‘
Mr Jelf, from Wiltshire, who developed his photography skills while serving in the British Army, described the family as 'lovely'. He said he is 'most happy' when photographing people, capturing their personalities and a moment in their lives.
'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!' he said.
'I hope everyone enjoys this photo and I am honoured that The Duke and Duchess have decided to share it with the public.'
August 2013: The first official images of Prince George were taken by the duchess's father Michael Middleton in the garden of their home in Bucklebury, Berkshire
March 2014: William and Kate pose for a family portrait with George at Kensington Palace, ahead of a tour to Australia and New Zealand
May 2015: A series of photos showing Prince George cradling in Princess Charlotte Anmer Hall in Norfolk, just weeks after she was born
July 2015: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George and Princess Charlotte ahead of Charlotte's Sandringham christening
November 2015: A photograph of Princess Charlotte taken by her mother Kate at Anmer Hall to mark the princess's six-month milestone
The family will be spending Christmas in their country home Anmer Hall on the Queen's Sandringham Estate and are expected to be joined by the Middletons after William and Kate attend church with the royals.
William and Kate currently divide their time between Anmer, situated on the Queen’s Sandringham Estate, and Kensington Palace in London.
They have opted for local nursery Westacre - just a few minutes’ drive from Anmer Hall - for George, while William is working as a pilot for East Anglian Air Ambulance.
The family photograph come after a series of images were released around three weeks ago to mark Princess Charlotte turning six months old.
Prince Charles and Camilla released their personal Christmas Card yesterday. The photograph was taken on a private estate in Scotland
Those images were taken by Kate and showed off Charlotte's big blue eyes as she played with her cuddly toy puppy.
More photographs taken by Kate, which showed George cradling his little sister in his arms while sat in a chair at Anmer Hall, were also released in May, weeks after Charlotte was born.
The first official photographs of George were taken by Kate's father Michael Middleton in the garden of their home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
Yesterday. Prince Charles and Camilla released their personal Christmas Card. The photograph was taken on a private estate in Scotland by a friend of the couple while they were on their summer holidays.
Printed on the cover of each card are the Prince of Wales’s Feathers and The Duchess of Cornwall’s cipher.
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