We have a delightful update this morning about a new Cambridge family photo.
The picture is being used on the family’s Christmas cards, and it perfectly showcases George, Charlotte, Kate and William. It was taken at Kensington Palace by Chris Jackson of Getty Images, who has shot official pictures before, including George’s 4th birthday photo. It appears to have been taken over the summer; from the way the children are dressed and the length of Kate’s hair I think it may have been shot just prior to the Poland/Germany tour.
As is often the case, initial release of the photo came via the Kensington Palace Twitter account.
Kensington Palace Twitter
The children look darling.
Many of you immediately recognized what the children were wearing; almost all pieces were worn on the July tour of Poland and Germany.
George wears the Pereprine shirt (£42, about $56), still available at Amaia Kids of this writing. It was first seen in the Prince’s official 4th birthday photo.
UPDATED: George is wearing his Papouelli Bernie loafers in the photo.
And the Vaella belt worn on the tour.
George’s shorts remain a mystery. After the hours of searching I did and all of the work you contributed as well, we just haven’t been able to pin down the exact pair.
Princess Charlotte wore the smocked blue dress we saw this summer as the family left Poland and arrived in Germany.
© James Whatling
A refresher on Charlotte’s dress: it appears to be made in a Liberty cotton print we haven’t identified and it features a smocked bodice, puffed sleeves, ruffled collar, back buttons and a full skirt. Her shoes are the Doña Carmen Mercedita Hard Sole style in royal blue. Made in Spain, the shoes are leather with an anti-skid rubber sole. They were €29.95 (roughly $35) but it doesn’t look like they are still available on the retailer’s website. 
Charlotte is also wearing one of her signature hair bows, most likely from Amaia Kids. Because of the angle of her head, it is difficult to tell if she is wearing the medium size (seen below left) or the small size (below right).
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But the Christmas photo isn’t all the news today.
Princess Charlotte will be starting at Willcocks Nursery School in January.
Willcocks Nursery School Website
The nursery has an all-female staff; it is owned and managed by headmistress Lavinia Taylor. It is also in a terrific location; details via a Hello! story:
The school is a ten-minute drive from the Cambridges’ family home in Kensington Palace, or a 15-minute walk. It’s located in the hall of Holy Trinity Church, next door to the Royal Albert Hall and Kensington Gardens, and down the road from the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria and Albert museum, so Charlotte can expect various educational outings and visits to the park.
A view of the school shot today.
This info is from The Daily Telegraph’s story:
Tatler, the society magazine, described the nursery school as a “hidden gem” that “flies under the radar”, claiming that it is attended by British children and “chic foreigners” alike, some of whom register their children at birth in order to ensure them a place.
Unlike Prince George, who did half-days at his nursery school, Charlotte will attend both the morning and afternoon sessions. More about the process of helping students transition to a new place and routine from the Willcocks website:
You and your child will be invited for a short “stay and play”. Once settled, you will be asked to leave for a short period to see if your child is happy to be left. As your child becomes more able to cope, the session will be gradually extended to the full morning or afternoon. .
Sometimes separation can be upsetting and we ask you to be patient. Each child is an individual; a toy or photograph from home or a picture of their Key Teacher to take home can link home and nursery and be very helpful.
As your child builds a rapport with the teachers, we will ask you to stay in the vicinity for the first few sessions so that you can return if needed.
You can visit the school website here, if so inclined.
We may see you again in the next day or two, presuming there are photos of royals as they arrive at Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s annual Christmas lunch.
NOTE: The post has been corrected to reflect that George is wearing his Papouelli loafers, *not* the Pisamonas as I originally wrote.
Is it possible that the hair bow is in royal blue instead of Capri?
It’s absolutely possible; I had a tough time discerning the color. It didn’t look as vibrant as the royal blue on my monitor and mobile devices, but she could be wearing the royal blue. 🙂
The children both look adorable in this photo and it’s fun to see their expressions. I suppose I’m a teensy bit sorry not to see more recent pics of them given how quickly they change at this stage but maybe there’ll be a chance to get a peek at them soon. I hope we don’t have to wait until May! It would be great if they were at the wedding too.
Congrats to Charlotte on making it to nursery school, it sound like a lovely one to go to. I’m impressed at the rigorous study schedule she’s embarking on, though her photo makes her look like she’s more than ready to tackle it!
The kids look absolutely adorable! You can tell they are developing their own characters!
One wonders how they would be once they grow up! 😀