A new unseen picture of the Princess of Wales as a child has been released as the royal couple share “festive memories”.

The image was released by the Middleton family and shows a nearly two-year-old Kate sitting at the table during a family Christmas in 1983.

Shared by Kensington Palace, it said the image has been released ahead of the Princesses’ Together at Christmas Carol Service.

The service this year is part of the Shaping Us campaign, which focuses on the role played by people shaping future generations and the importance of early years, Kensington Palace said.

“Sharing some festive memories this Christmas because #ShapingUs is all about the vital importance of our early years,” the Prince and Princess of Wales said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The palace said the royal couple will be inviting others to share images of their earliest Christmas on their social media channels in the lead up to Christmas Eve.

The carol service will air on 24 December on ITV at 7.45pm.

Kate takes young royals to help out at baby bank near Maidenhead

Cheeky Prince Louis blows out sister Charlotte’s candle at Kate’s Xmas concert

Princess of Wales to host Christmas carol service from Westminster Abbey

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