Saturday 20 June 2020

UPDATED: New Photos by Kate Mark a Weekend of Celebrations for the Cambridges

It's a double celebration for the Cambridges this weekend with tomorrow marking both Prince William's 38th birthday and Father's Day. To mark the occasion, Kensington Palace shared two lovely new photos of William sitting on a swing in the garden of Anmer Hall surrounded by his three children.


George, Charlotte and Louis are all clearly having a fabulous summer at Anmer and are all smiles in the images taken by the Duchess. Louis (who continues to resemble his mum more each time we see him) has grown so much!


Take a look at the expressions in this surprise additional shot.


You might remember the swing from Prince George's third birthday photos.


The swing was a wedding gift from Charles and Camilla made by the Oak And Rope Company. More from Hello!

'Jeanette Aurdal Nieman, designer and managing director, had no idea that the swing would feature in the portraits and it came as a welcome surprise.
"The first I knew of it was when a journalist rang to say that he had seen a photograph of Prince George on a wooden swing, and if it was one of ours," Jeanette told HELLO! Online. "I simply stated that it probably was, as I know he has one. The journalist went on to say that he thought I sounded very calm about it, and had I seen the photographs myself, as they were everywhere... I was running a bit behind packing for our family holiday... and had not..."
She knew that George owned a swing because Oak & Rope was commissioned to make one for Prince William and Kate's wedding in 2011 – something that made her "really excited".
"Even though we were a very young and small company then, I made the conscious decision not to discuss this with anybody, and made this clear to everybody working for Oak & Rope too," she said."It was a personal present, and we thought it deserved to remain a private matter."

Prince Louis wore a Gap Polo Shirt while Princess Charlotte was in sold out dungarees with a little Zebra emblazoned on it from John Lewis. George wore an olive green shirt by H&M (with thanks to UFO No More and Kate's Royal Closet).


I mentioned it's a double celebration for the Cambridges - well more correctly it's a quadruple one. Today was Michael Middleton's 71st birthday and tomorrow he and Carole celebrate a significant milestone - their 40th wedding anniversary. Normally, there would have been a family gathering or perhaps a party to celebrate the occasion, so undoubtedly this weekend will be filled with Zoom video calls and messages with plans for plenty of visits soon.


To mark Father's Day, KP shared a darling photo of Kate with her father as a child. Kate (looking every bit like Louis) wearing a check shirt and jeans, a look she still loves today. Michael looks so young in this shot.


And last but certainly not least, a fabulous new photo of William and Charles was released. It was taken by the Duchess, most likely at Sandringham, in December. Kate's photography skills continue to grow, this is a truly excellent image. I've said it before, I would love to see her put 100 images together featuring photos from the past decade in support of one of her patronages.


It's a very exciting weekend at Anmer Hall and judging by the photos William's birthday is going to be a lot of fun! Wishing the Prince a very Happy Birthday, and a wonderful Father's Day to all celebrating tomorrow!

46 comments:

  1. Susan in Florida20 June 2020 at 22:16

    Thank you Charlotte ! Happy nice news for a change. Made me smile

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  2. Valerie in Arizona20 June 2020 at 22:23

    Terrific, natural photos! The kids are dressed in ordinary play clothes (Charlotte wearing shorts!) and look like they adore playing with dad. William is such a natural. I watched him at the bake shop buying pain au chocolate for four (wonder who got the fourth? William probably.) Then I came across a short video I hadn't seen before of him and Kate cooking with some Irish young people when they were in Kildare in March, before COVID took hold. Kate was chatting away while she prepped a meal, so at ease. And William was peeling carrots as naturally as anything, again, chatting to the boys who were instructing him on what to do. So pleasant and natural.

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  3. What wonderful photos of a beautiful family. Happy Birthday Prince William.

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  4. Lovely photos of a beautiful family. I think Prince Louis looks like his Mother, and maternal grandfather, Michael Middleton.
    Happy Birthday Prince William! Happy Birthday Michael Middleton!

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  5. Just lovely! A gorgeous family.

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    1. The family is utterly charming. The interaction between Dad and the young ones is inspiring. Happy Birthday and Happy Father's Day Prince William!!!

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    2. 'Utterly charming' is a great way to describe this family!! Being a father has been the making of William!

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  6. This just made my day!

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  7. qhat a lovely and wonderful photos happy father day and happy birthday 38 prince william

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  8. Louis is looking so much like his big brother as he gets older!

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  9. I love this! Thank you for sharing Charlotte! It’s so wonderful to see something so loving and pure. ❣️

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  10. These pictures are always so lovely. It really is a wonderful tradition to have HRH take her family portraits. Little Louie has turned blonde in the summer sun! I was so surprised to seem him with light locks, since in the pictures we've seen so far he's appeared as a dark brunette, like his mom.

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  11. Rebecca - Sweden21 June 2020 at 09:04

    Adorable! Precious! Perfect!

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    1. Nice to see your comment Rebecca, hope your family is well!

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  12. Wow- beautiful pictures. I always love how Kate is capturing her family. Happy Birthday to all family members!

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  13. Kate is the best photographer of her family! These photos are absolutely precious. Missing little Louis’ face in one of them, though. Hope there will be some pictures of Kate and the kids along the same lines one of these days.

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  14. Beautiful and loving family. May they continue to have a healthy, fun life together. Cee Frances Texas, USA

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  15. What a very special treat!! Not only do we get to see wonderful pictures of the William with his children, but also Kate and William with their fathers! Charlotte is absolutely adorable and looks like she has such a sassy personality and could be quite the charmer. Kate always seems to capture them at their happiest.

    The photo of Catharine with her father is wonderful!! You can see that the boys look a lot like her, especially Louis. They even have her sun washed hair! I think we are seeing a glimpse of what Louis will look like when he is older! BTW Michael Middleton is a very handsome man and I think her boys take after that side of the family. Kate's photography skills are growing and I appreciate that she and William have come to terms with sharing private photos of their family with the public. The one of William with his father is touching. Happy Birthday William and Happy Father's Day, you have grown into quite the man.

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  16. Tammy from California21 June 2020 at 14:38

    just LOVE these! Because they are from the duchess and not a hired photographer, the shots really capture the family and personalities in the family. It's nice to see the family side and not just the "Employee of the RF" side.
    William sure picked a great girl in Kate. It seems by all accounts, she really has filled a void in him that made him whole. She has an uncanny ability to strike a wonderful balance of her family and being part of the Royal Family. I think this could be hard to do and she just does it so well.

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    1. Caroline in Montana22 June 2020 at 14:42

      Tammy, I love your comment in every way! +1000

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    2. Zora from Prague22 June 2020 at 21:03

      Me too! Very well said, Tammy!

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  17. Love these photos. Not sure who I think the kids look like. But all 3 are cute and happy looking in the photos. Can anyone tell see what Charles is holding in the hand holding his hat? Is it the top of a walking stick?

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    1. It is a cromag or shepherd's crook with a bone handle. Sticks like this are works of art.

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  18. Beautiful pictures with family happy birthday and father's day

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  19. First a very happy 38th Birthday to the Duke of Cambridge. The photos of him and the children are sooo lovely also loved the one with his father.Love the little jean outfit from Charlotte, George is a small version of his father,Louis is more like Kate. Hope in the future we will see more photos like these.

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  20. Charlotte your idea has merit, just think how many books would sell globally and how the proceeds good help ALL of Catherine's charities.
    That photo of Charles and William is the photo of the year, WOW what a statement of love and affection.

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    1. I don’t think Kate is going to sell anything ever. She has a lot of patronages and will have more as times goes by I guess. Would she have to sell something to help each of them? Once she does it for one, especially if it’s a successful initiative, she will be expected to do the same for all the other charities.

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    2. Caroline in Montana22 June 2020 at 14:45

      Love that photo! I think because its just a girl taking a picture of her husband and father in law, not a PR photo from a photographer. Nice to see the feelings come through her photos!

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  21. Sarah from California21 June 2020 at 20:30

    Wonderful family pictures and the one of William and Prince Charles!

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  22. Happy Birthday, Prince William! Happy father's day for this lovely family. Congratulations! Thank you for theese adorables pictures.
    Little Charlotte wears trousers. Great. Isn't she the star in the first picture? With her long legs I have to think to Diana.
    May they further be blessed.
    Jeanne

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  23. What a treat. Such a beautiful, happy and healthy family! So relaxed and so much love in their faces.

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  24. I can´t help but to smile at what seems to be an "issue" in every family...the mommy is always behind the camera takingthe photos and she rarely gets a picture with herself in it, lol! All my friends complain about always being the photographer and never gettting photographed withtheir kids. It makes the Cambridges somehow closer to normal. It is endearing. They look so happy.
    Ella

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  25. I can just hear the kids' laughter in these portraits. The best soundtrack ever!

    Heidi

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  26. Nicole from France22 June 2020 at 07:54

    Kate should certainly be appointed official photographer of the BRF , she perfectly catches the best from everybody while making technically very good photos ! She does a lot better than many famous photographers .....
    Lovely pictures of the family , to me Louis is Mickael’s look alike ....
    I really love to see Prince Charles smiling from one ear to the other, as we say in France , not so often we see that smile !

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  27. I love how they have started to put out more private photos for the public to see. I think a good mix of sweet family photos together with some more regal portraits and a constant nod to important personal, royal and UK holidays (birthdays, anniverseries, Easter, Chistmas, new year...) is a great way to connect to the wider public. Other royal families are acing this kind of PR and it seems that the BRF is slowly catching up. As a royal watcher for years, this makes me incredibly happy.
    Kate's photos are really nice and catching candid moments is always a treat (as everyone will notice when trying themselves). I wouldn't call them briliant though. Therefore, there too many talented amateurs out there who produce this kind of photos constantly. It's like playing an instrument. Some can't, some can a little, some play quite well and some are outstanding. Briliant is reserved for truly outstanding work in my mind.
    C.

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    1. Annette New Zealand25 June 2020 at 15:12

      I think the children are much more natural in Kate's photographs instead of the posed ones featuring them. That is why we enjoy them more even if they are not so "professional."
      On another note she seems to be dressed more simply with more recourse to clothes she has worn before. She obviously isn't using her hairdresser as often but of course she is not attending official gatherings while in lockdown. I agree, it is nice to see these glimpses of them at home in the country enjoying the garden and cooking.

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  28. Thank you Charlotte for such a happy post. The happiness of the family is almost palpable. I think my favourite is William and Prince Charles. They seem so much in tune with each other. Wiliam has matured so much over the last few years becoming a very measured and caring man. He reminds me of his great grandfather. I think he has the makings of an excellent king.
    On a totally different note if the comment is allowed, Princess Eugenie has just released an instagram post thaking everyone involved in the care of Jack’s dad who has just been released from hospital. It was a ver good speech. Eugenie seems very much at ease-in her skin, her place in the royal family and her place in the greater world.

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    1. Zora from Prague22 June 2020 at 21:02

      I love your reference to William's great-grandfather, Libby!

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  29. Caroline in Montana22 June 2020 at 15:05

    wow I love these photos!! the children are all lookers, not a mutt among them:) nice to see such an easy and affectionate family photo. I must agree that Michael Middleton is a very handsome man, and I think Carole is beautiful as well (No mutts there either!). so nice to see the children growing up, especially in such a more natural looking way then the stiff formal photos from the generations before. Kate is a wonderful photographer. I hope PW had a wonderful birthday and everyone had a wonderful Father's day (to those of us with fathers). thanks as always charlotte, I appreciate your blog so much. -Caroline

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    1. No mutts indeed!! Good looking family on both sides, William and Prince Phillip both handsome as well. The Cambridge children are all going to be good looking, with little bits of Middleton, Mountbatten/Windsor, and Spencer all in the mix; and above all else appear to be a very happy crew!!

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  30. The children are predictably adorable and Kate truly has a gift for capturing her family in the most entrancing photos. The one that touched me the most was William with his father. Charles looks so goofy. I remember William's birth; time does fly. William's comments on how fatherhood has changed him are encouraging for his future kingdom.

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  31. Zora from Prague22 June 2020 at 20:59

    This is such a treat - so many precious photos!! Lovely. The picture of Kate and her Dad is so sweet.
    How great it is that Kate is not the only girl in the Cambridge family - having Charlotte must be wonderful! :) As I only have men at home (husband and 3 sons), I was very happy to welcome my first daughter-in-law two years ago. I love my men but being a bit more balanced is a bonus for the family, and 3:2 seems great. Family dynamics is such a fascinating topic!
    William and Kate are wonderful parents, loving, caring, hands-on and fun! 😍

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  32. Happy birthday to our dear Prince William and happy father's day to him and to his father, Prince Charles. Thank you Duchess Kate for tha beautiful pictures. These certainly made my day.

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  33. Gosh I love the photo with Prince Charles and Prince William! It brings tears to my eyes. Young Princes Louis and George look like twins! Top of the fashion ladder: dungaree shorts for our favourite little Princess, just lovely!
    Royal 👑 Watcher

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    1. I couldn’t agree more Royal Watcher! That has to be one of the best photos I have ever seen of Charles with one of his boys. Kate has done us proud once again with these lovely photos. Way to go, Duchess!

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