George, Charlotte and Louis’ year in pictures
While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are ensuring their children grow up mostly away from the public limelight, it's been a very busy year for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
The older siblings had starring roles at two royal weddings and welcomed their new baby brother, who made his debut to the world just hours after his birth.
Three-year-old Charlotte began the year by starting nursery, with William and Kate releasing photographs of the Princess, taken by the Duchess, on her first day.
In April, Prince Louis was born and George and Charlotte visited their younger brother in hospital.
George, then four, looked a little apprehensive, but Charlotte showed she had perfected the royal wave, even turning to do so at one point as she led the way walking up the steps to the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s in Paddington.
Hours later, it was the turn of the as-yet-unnamed baby Prince to make his first public appearance.
A few days later, on May 2, Charlotte celebrated her third birthday and William and Kate shared a photograph of their two youngest children to mark the occasion, with the Princess gently kissing a sleeping Louis.
George and Charlotte were back in the spotlight just weeks later when their uncle, Prince Harry, married American former actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle.
The third and fourth in line to throne were pageboy and bridesmaid.
George was dressed in a miniature version of the Blues and Royals frockcoat worn by Harry and the Duke of Cambridge, while Charlotte, in a Givenchy ivory silk dress, was spotted sticking her tongue out in the car.
However, the pair were on their best behaviour for the official photograph of the wedding party.
Just weeks later, and the young royals were back out in public for Trooping the Colour in June – even Kate, who was on maternity leave, made an appearance.
But it all got a bit too much for Charlotte, and at one point she became tearful and had to be comforted by the duchess.
Kate was pictured enjoying a day out with George and Charlotte in June at the Beaufort polo club in Tetbury, Gloucestershire.
The princess skipped around, holding a pair of sunglasses, and entertained herself running up and down the grassy banks.
Meanwhile George, a fan of all things police-related, played with a toy gun.
The Cambridges were pictured together for the first time as a family of five when they attended Prince Louis’s christening at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, in July.
Charlotte was heard telling off photographers and declaring they were not allowed inside following the service.
George turned five at the end of July, and was photographed to mark the occasion, beaming as he leaned against a wall.
In October, it was the turn of the Queen’s granddaughter, Princess Eugenie, to walk up the aisle, and George and Charlotte were again asked to be pageboy and bridesmaid.
Charlotte took a tumble as she made her way into St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, when she was blown over by the strong autumnal winds.
Inside, George and his second cousin, Savannah Phillips, got up to mischief in the church, with Savannah pretending to play a trumpet, delighting George, who later clamped his hand over his mouth when he realised they had been spotted.
Again, all the bridesmaids and pageboys were on their best behaviour when it was time for the official photograph.
The Cambridges joined the Sussexes for a family photo to mark the Prince of Wales’s milestone 70th birthday in November.
The Duchess of Cornwall sat with her arm around Charlotte, while George giggled as he perched on Charles’s lap, and Louis looked alert and content in Kate’s arms.
Later the same month, Kate revealed as she met the public during a visit to Leicester University: “Louis’ getting bigger. I can’t believe he’s seven months now.
“He’s getting a big boy.”
As 2019 fast-approaches, Prince Louis will soon be usurped as the youngest member of the royal family, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's baby due in the spring.