New photo marks Princess Charlotte's second birthday

A new picture of Princess Charlotte enjoying the outdoors, taken by her mother, has been released ahead of her second birthday.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said they are "delighted" to share the photograph to mark their only daughter's special day on Tuesday.

The Cambridges have followed a trend they set with their daughter's first birthday and given royal fans a new image of the toddler princess.

She is pictured at their Norfolk home Anmer Hall, wearing a yellow cardigan, decorated with images of sheep, while she sports a navy clip in her hair.

In a statement Kensington Palace said: "The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this photograph as they celebrate Princess Charlotte's second birthday.

"Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank everyone for all of the lovely messages they have received, and hope that everyone enjoys this photograph of Princess Charlotte as much as they do."

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

She made an appearance on Christmas Day when she was taken 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. When they left, the royal children were clutching candy canes.

The other notable outing for Charlotte was during the Duke and Duchess's tour of Canada last autumn when she was seen a number of times, including 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.

But the young royal was first photographed on the day of her birth - May 2, 2015 - when Kate held her daughter outside the private maternity wing of St Mary's hospital in Paddington, central London, where the princess 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.

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