By Maria Puente
Prince George was off to his first day of nursery school today, and his proud parents released two pictures to mark the occasion.
The toddler showed up at Westacre Montessori School nursery in Norfolk, on the royal Sandringham estate near Prince William and Duchess Kate's country retreat, Anmer Hall.
The pictures, taken by amateur photographer Duchess Kate, show George, 2½, dressed in a navy quilted jacket with a hood with a light blue backpack, standing in front of a colourful mural on the wall of the school. The second picture shows him examining the mural.
The palace press team said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are "grateful" for the public's support for the privacy of their family.
Prince George poses on his first day at the Westacre Montessori nursery school near Sandringham in Norfolk, England on January 6, 2016.Credit: The Duchess of Cambridge/Kensington Palace
Pictures of little royals off to nursery school, grammar school and so on, have been a tradition since the days of Prince George's grandfather, Prince Charles.
It became an especially popular photographic sport when William and later his younger brother, Harry, went to school for the first time, with crowds of journalists and paparazzi watching from across the streets.
But usually they were older than George, and the off-to-school ritual took place on public streets in London.
The Cambridges announced that their toddler would be attending a Montessori nursery near Anmer Hall last month, choosing a school that was not only close by to their main home but provided a good deal more privacy and security than a school in London near Kensington Palace, their London base.
Prince George turns to look at a colourful mural on a wall at his new nursery school.Credit: The Duchess of Cambridge/Kensington Palace
Knowing the photographers and royal correspondents would be keen to document the historic day for George, they arranged these pictures, along with a plea to leave the child alone otherwise.
It was only the latest batch of coveted kiddie photos that Kate has taken of her two children, including Charlotte, now 8 months old.
USA Today