Adorable photo of Charlotte and George released to mark princess' first day at school

Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Kensington look excited as they set off for school on Thursday morning
Kensington Palacec

An adorable new photo of Princess Charlotte and Prince George has been released on the princess' first day at school.

The picture was taken at Kensington Palace before the four-year-old set off with her brother and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for her big day at Thomas's Battersea.

Her father said Charlotte was "very excited" about the new chapter in her life, but she seemed to suffer some first-day jitters as her mother led her into the school grounds on Thursday morning.

Prince William walked proudly beside them, holding Prince George's hand, after driving his family to the fee-paying independent school in southwest London.

Charlotte grasped her mother's hand with both of hers and as the family approached the lower school's head Helen Haslem.

The duchess smiled and asked: "How are you? Did you have a nice summer?", before Ms Haslem bent down to shake George's hand and then Charlotte's.

William beamed and said: "First day - she's very excited."

His daughter is following in the footsteps of six-year-old brother George, who has been at the school for two years.

The four-year-old, who will be known as Charlotte Cambridge to staff and schoolmates, wore the school's transitional uniform which spans both summer and winter - a dark dress and cardigan with a blouse, white socks and shoes.

She had her hair in a ponytail, which she kept adjusting, fixed with a bow.

Her mother carried her satchel which had a key-ring in the shape of a pony's head attached to it.

Princess Charlotte's first day at school - in pictures

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William and Kate, like other parents, get a slight reduction in fees for Charlotte's education this school year as she has a sibling at Thomas's Battersea.

The school charges £19,287 for the first child and £18,915 for the second.

Despite being a Christian school, Thomas’s is open to people of all faiths and believes in “praise as the greatest motivator”.

The duke and duchess took Charlotte to her class, where she is one of 21 pupils, to help her settle in and then waved her off for the start of her first day.

Kate missed George's first day in September 2017, as she was suffering with extreme morning sickness while pregnant with Prince Louis.

Kate smiles as she leads a timid Charlotte through the school grounds
PA

She looked relaxed in a Michael Kors summer dress as she dropped her daughter off on Thursday.

In his welcome message on the school website, headmaster Simon O'Malley wrote: "Thomas's Battersea is a busy, thriving, purposeful school, educating 560 boys and girls between the ages of four and 13.

"As you would expect of any Thomas's school, the most important school rule is to 'Be Kind'. We offer a rich and broad curriculum, with art, ballet, drama, ICT, French, music and PE all taught by specialist teachers from a child's first day in school."

He added: "We hope that our pupils will leave this school with a strong sense of social responsibility, set on a path to become net contributors to society and to flourish as conscientious and caring citizens of the world."

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