Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to celebrate Princess Charlotte's second birthday

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will celebrate their daughter Princess Charlotte's second birthday on Tuesday.

William and Kate are likely to stage a birthday party for the youngster, who was born on May 2 2015, at their Norfolk home Anmer Hall.

Charlotte's privacy has been carefully guarded by the Cambridges, and during the past year she has only been seen in public on a handful of occasions.

The young princess last made an appearance on Christmas Day when she was taken by her parents to a church service, close to the home of her grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton in the Berkshire village of Bucklebury.

She was pictured in the arms of the Duchess when the royal party arrived at St Mark's Church in Englefield, with older brother Prince George holding the Duke's hand as they walked in, and when they left the royal children were clutching candy canes.

The other notable outing for Charlotte was during the Duke and Duchess' tour of Canada last autumn, when she was seen a number of times particularly at a children's party in Victoria, British Colombia.

Charlotte's first birthday was marked with the release of four official photographs by her parents, and royal fans will be hoping more will be issued for the second birthday.

The young royal was introduced to the public on the day of her birth and was photographed in Kate's arms outside the private maternity wing of St Mary's hospital in Paddington, central London where she was delivered.

She was named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana in tribute to her grandmother Diana, Princess of Wales and her great-grandmother the Queen.

The Cambridges will be spending more time at Kensington Palace in London when William leaves his air ambulance helicopter pilot job in the summer and devotes more time to royal duties.

George will be schooled at the private Thomas's Battersea school in September and it is likely his sister will be sent to a nursery later this year.