The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge just shared never seen before family snap

The royal kids are growing up fast!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have thrilled royal fans across the world by releasing a brand new family photo as their official Christmas card for 2021 – and they've opted for an unexpectedly summery snap. In the sweet snap, the Cambridges appear with their three children in what looks to be a hot and sunny location – and they are dressed for it. Kate is looking sunkissed and gorgeous in a khaki dress, William is in shorts, as is George and Louis, while Charlotte is looking more grownup than ever in a gingham dress from Mango.

The picture was taken earlier this year when the Duke and Duchess took their three children on a private holiday to Jordan, but no details of the visit would have been announced to the public at the time because it was a private family holiday, rather than an official royal tour.

Jordan, of course, holds a special significance for the young family as the Duchess of Cambridge lived there for several years as a child when her father worked as a flight dispatcher for British Airways.

In fact, when William visited the Middle East back in 2018 on an official tour, he spoke to the media of their intention to come back to the area and to Jordan in particular with their children.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were not the only ones revealing their 2021 Christmas card this week. The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall also took to Instagram to reveal the image they have chose for their annual Christmas card, and the snap shows a sweet moment between the couple – and features a nod to the pandemic times we are all living through.