Kate snaps Prince George on first day at nursery

Prince George has been photographed by his mother the Duchess of Cambridge during his first day at nursery.

William and Kate took their son to the Westacre Montessori School nursery on Wednesday as his education formally began.

Two pictures taken by the Duchess of her two-year-old have been released to mark the occasion and they show the future king standing outside the school buildings near the royal couple's Norfolk home, Anmer Hall.

The toddler prince is shown near a large, colourful mural, wearing a winter coat with a small rucksack on his back.

George will attend the nursery while the couple are staying at their Norfolk home but not when they are in residence at Kensington Palace in London.

Montessori is an approach to educating children developed by the Italian educator Maria Montessori.

It is founded on the belief that within each person is untapped potential that needs a fertile environment and it aims to develop the whole child naturally, with the period from birth to age six seen as when children have the greatest capacity to learn.