Prince William and His Three Kids Laugh Hysterically in Newly Released Photo

Prince William Prince George Princess Charlotte Prince Louis

(Image credit: Kensington Palace via Getty Images)

published 19 June 2022

We have been fortunate enough to see so much of the Cambridge kids this month—Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4—and, to mark Father’s Day today, Kensington Palace has released a new photo of the kids alongside dad Prince William. Taken in Jordan last fall on a private family vacation, the snap mirrors the Cambridge family holiday card from last year, where the foursome (plus a beaming Kate Middleton) are wearing identical outfits.

While the holiday card photo was more subdued, in this never-before-seen image William dons a big smile while his three kids seem to be laughing heartily at something happening behind the camera. Charlotte and George sit beside their dad, while Louis sits atop William’s shoulders.

“Happy Father’s Day to fathers and grandfathers across the world today!” the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge posted on their official Instagram account.

Jordan is particularly significant to Kate, as she lived in the Middle Eastern country for nearly three years with her family when her father, Michael Middleton, worked for British Airways. And last year’s trip wasn’t William’s first time to visit—he undertook a royal visit of the country in 2018, PEOPLE reports.

“My wife Catherine is very sorry she cannot be here with me so soon after the birth of our son Louis, but her family remembers very fondly the almost three years she spent here as a child when her father worked for British Airways in Amman,” William said in a speech on the tour. “Catherine’s experience is not unique—the interchange between our two countries is real and deep: work, study, tourism, and family links. Our historic ties and friendship are played out in the lives of thousands of people who consider both countries home.”

According to Tatler, the Cambridges specifically visited the city of Petra on their under-the-radar trip last year.

“Petra, the historic city in southern Jordan where the family photos were taken, is renowned for its beauty and fascinating archaeology, even named one of the seven New Wonders of the World in a 2007 vote,” the outlet reports. “With its distinctive red sandstone and stunning temples, Petra has become a favorite location for filmmakers, used in hits like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Mummy Returns.”

This is a big week for William—in addition to celebrating Father’s Day today, he’ll turn 40 on Tuesday.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.

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