In the image, the Wales family are captured lying on a patch of grass in the sunshine. At one end is Prince William, casually dressed in navy shorts and a khaki green polo shirt, who is smiling at his son, Prince George, who is similarly dressed in shorts and a top. In the middle is the Princess of Wales, stretched out in white jeans and a simple Breton striped top. The mother-of-three is holding hands with her younger son, Prince Louis, who has his legs thrown over his mother.
At the other end is Princess Charlotte, who is curved towards her younger brother, a smile spread across her face. Also in the picture is their beloved dog, Orla, sat faithfully next to Prince William. The image also introduced a new family member to the public: Otto, a brown cocker spaniel born to Orla last May.
The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood is the Princess of Wales’ flagship project, a cause to which she has been dedicated throughout her royal career. To mark the launch of its new resource, Catherine met with families, researchers, and students from across Britain at the University of East London.
The Princess of Wales wore a personalised necklace last week, when she joined Prince William on a visit to IntoUniversity, an education charity, which benefited from Their Royal Highnesses’ Royal Wedding Gift Fund in 2011
Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
In a foreword to the guide, Catherine explained how important it was not to lose sight of the ‘quality of connection’ when focusing on other, more immediately apparent, metrics of childhood achievement.
‘While our society often focuses on academic or physical milestones, research consistently shows that it is our earliest relationships, experiences and environments which lay the foundations for our future health and happiness,’ the Princess wrote.
‘The quality of our connections – with ourselves, with others and with the world around us – shapes how safe we feel, how we relate, and how we process experiences throughout our lives.’