The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have shared a new family picture on their Xmas card

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have stunned royal watchers with a new picture of their family taken during a foreign trip no one knew happened.

Prince William and Kate Middleton have released their 2021 Christmas card, with the beaming royals pictured on a secret trip to the Middle East.

The card features the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge alongside their three children Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3.

The snap was taken in Jordan this year - but Kensington Palace has not said what the nature of the family’s trip to Jordan was, or when exactly it took place.

The Cambridges can be seen basking in the sun in front of a backdrop of red rock, in what looks like a desert landscape.

George and Charlotte are pictured sitting on red chairs while little Louis sits crossed legged on a rug below.

Their parents sit behind them, with Kates arm resting on William’s knee.

Sharing the image on Twitter this afternoon, Kate and Wills wrote: “Delighted to share a new image of the family, which features on this year’s Christmas card.”

The Cambridge family Christmas picture. Prine William and Kate Middleton with their children Charlotte and Lous (front) and George (right).

The visit likely happened in the last part of the year when UK travel restrictions were relaxed.

During the northern summer, Jordan was on the amber list, meaning that mid July fully vaccinated arrivals into the UK did not have to quarantine, as long as they did pre departure and day eight tests. From October the testing requirement was dropped.

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.

The Duchess of Cambridge spent part of her childhood in Jordan where her father worked as a flight dispatcher for British Airways.

Prince Charles and Camilla’s light hearted Christmas picture.

The Duchess is said to have learned nursery rhymes in Arabic and could sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in Arabic before she could sing it in English.

William visited the Middle East in 2018 on an official tour and spoke of the couple’s plans to return with their children.

The Cambridges were not the only royals to share their Christmas card today, with Prince Charles releasing a picture of himself fixing the Duchess of Cornwall’s face mask at the Royal Ascot races.

The photo was taken beside the racetrack on the second day of the event, and shows prince Charles adjusting his wife’s white mask while she holds a matching bag.