Prince William marks Father’s Day with adorable family photo

Prince William has released a touching image to celebrate Father’s Day in the UK, ahead of his 40th birthday.

Prince William has released a charming image of his children to mark Father’s Day in the UK, ahead of his 40th birthday.

Taken during a family holiday to Jordan, where Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge spent part of her childhood, the image shows Prince William sitting between Prince George, eight, and Princess Charlotte, now seven.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, posing for a photograph with his children, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince George. Picture: Kensington Palace/AFP

His youngest child Prince Louis, now four, is perched atop his father's shoulders.

The wholesome image shows William smiling contently as his adorable kids roar with laughter.

The image differs from recent official photographs in that it was not taken by the Duchess of Cambridge, a keen amateur photographer.

Instead, Kensington Palace said the portrait was captured by a private, unnamed photographer during a getaway.

The Cambridges in the Royal Box during Royal Ascot. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

A similar image of the Cambridges in Jordan, taken on the same day, was used for the family’s most recent Christmas card.

While the exact location has not been revealed, the backdrop suggests it may have been taken in Petra, the ancient archaeological site in Jordan’s southwestern desert.

The Cambridges have a personal connection to Jordan as Catherine lived there as a toddler for three years when her father, Michael, was posted to the capital Amman for his job with British Airways.