
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's 2019 Christmas card featuring their children Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis has been shared online.

In the adorable snap, posted by Air Commodore Dawn McCafferty CBE RAFR on Twitter, Kate Middleton, 37, can be seen holding onto the handlebars of a vintage khaki-coloured motorbike, while husband Prince William, also 37, sits on the seat with a bemused Prince Louis, one, on his lap.

Meanwhile, big sister Princess Charlotte, four, is photographed standing in the sidecar next to them, while Prince George, six, clad in a pair of red and blue checked shorts, appears to be rubbing his ear at the back of the shot.

The social media post also shows the message inside the card, which reads: 'Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year' - and is signed in black pen by 'Catherine'.

Kate became patron of the RAF Air Cadets in December 2016 - taking over from the Duke of Edinburgh, who has held the position for 63 years. Her appointment as Honorary Air Commodore-in-Chief marked her first military-linked role.

The inclusion of the vintage motorcycle - which appears to be a Rickman Metisse - this year may well have been Prince William's idea, as the duke is a huge motorbike fan.

According to the 2005 documentary Chasing the Royals, William's dangerous hobby used to scare his loved ones - especially Kate - to death. He famously rode around London on the eve of his wedding in April 2011.

Last year he visited Triumph Motorcycles in Leicestershire, East Midlands, and took the latest Triumph Tiger 1200 bike for a spin around a track, afterwards admitting the drive was 'not long enough'. He also made a trip to the Isle of Man for its infamous TT Races.

Twitter account AComdtAC shared the first look at the Cambridge's 2019 Christmas Card. The adorable photograph shows Kate Middleton and Prince William posing on a vintage motorbike with Louis as George and Charlotte perched on the sidecar (pictured)

Alongside the photograph of this year's highly-anticipated festive card, the Twitter user penned: 'A Christmas card from our Royal Patron, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, which I share with all members of the air cadets.

'We send HRH and her family all best wishes for Christmas and hope to see her again in 2020.'

Mother-of-three Kate represents an organisation of 42,000 air cadets aged 12-19 and 15,000 adult volunteers at more than 1,200 units across the UK and abroad.

Rickman Motorcycles was a British, independent motorcycle chassis constructor established by brothers Derek and Don Rickman, which operated from 1960 to 1975.

Inside the card, the message reads: 'Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year' - and is signed in black pen by Catherine (pictured)

The bikes or frame kits were known for their beautiful fiberglass work and nickel-plated frames and often referred to as 'Metisse' frame - a term meaning 'mongrel', used for their own first effort.

While Kate is all smiles in a light blue dress featuring waist-tie detail, Prince Louis wears a navy blue T-shirt underneath a pair of light denim dungarees.

Prince George cuts an equally casual figure in a pair of blue and red check shorts, while Princess Charlotte, who can be seen clutching the glass of the sidecar, wears a black and white gingham dress.

The card is in stark contrast to last year's, which showed the relaxed Cambridges casually perched on a tree trunk in woodland at their Anmer Hall home in Norfolk.

With smiles all round, the Duchess of Cambridge cradles baby Louis - who is now almost eight months old - as she rests against a tree trunk in woodland at their Anmer Hall home in Norfolk with the Duke of Cambridge in their 2018 card

While 2018's photo had a natural, un-staged feel, with Prince George balanced on one leg with his arm slung around his father and Princess Charlotte looking slightly away from the camera, this one looked a little more directed.

It also appears as if the photograph on the card was taken in summer, with Princes George and Louis donning shorts and Princess Charlotte a skirt. Kate is also wearing a wrap around frock, compared to her jeans and jumper in last year's autumnal shot.

Charlotte is the confident one of the family while George is a daddy's boy - Body language expert Judi James gives her verdict on the royal photo Body language expert Judi James suggests the Christmas card pose looks 'compiled around William' This pose looks compiled around William, who sits central to the family unit, clearly enjoying the rather macho motorbike theme, with his splayed legs and relaxed torso position suggesting he sees himself as a bit of a Steve McQueen figure here, despite being surrounded by his kids. George stands back with him, clearly sharing the moment with his dad, in-keeping with the story William told during the recent documentary with Mary Berry, where he said he'd encouraged his eldest son to be a bit of a football fan too. George's smile makes him look rather shy here, as his father was at his age, but the way he puts an elbow on William's shoulder and rests his head on his hand makes him look very grown-up, too. Charlotte looks like the most confident one of the family, leaning forward at the front of the pose, with her hands splayed out as though she's steering the bike. She and George have quite mirrored smiles and tilted heads, suggesting they are close and quite like-minded, although with Charlotte taking the lead like this the sibling dynamic could be very much like the relationship between Charles and his more active and confident sister Anne when they were children. Kate stands to the side of the pose, leaning in close to her husband and holding one handlebar of the motorbike as though helping to steer, but her role looks more indulgent and supportive, as though she's happy watching the others have fun. Louis has been placed on his dad's lap here, and with two very independent-looking older children and an active, confident Louis, Kate seems able to be less hands-on as a mum here. Advertisement

Speaking about 2018's card, body language expert Judi James said the 'traditional' Duke and Duchess of Cambridge emphasised their 'casual and informal side as though keen to give us a glimpse of how they really are between official duties'.

'It's an invitational, sociable pose where their eye contact and smiles invite us to share and join in with their happiness,' she said.

'They form a tight and blissfully happy, relaxed-looking family unit here, inviting the viewer to share in the fun.'

The new photograph also shows young Prince Louis now sporting a fine head of blonde hair, with a swept side parting like his older brother's.

The Duke of Cambridge tries out a motorbike at the Isle of Man TT Races during his visit to the island in June 2018

The new photograph also shows young Prince Louis now sporting a fine head of blonde hair, with a swept side parting like his older brother's

The rest of the Royal Family, including the Queen, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are yet to share their 2019 Christmas cards.

Last year Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared a new photo by Chris Allerton from their evening wedding reception, showing them hand-in-hand as fireworks erupt in the grounds of Frogmore House, a 17th century royal residence in Windsor near their now home, Frogmore Cottage.

An insider told E News that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to share their official Christmas card at some point this week.

Both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Prince William and Kate Middleton had shared their respective festive cards by this time last year.

According to their source, Prince Harry and Meghan have had a 'selection of family photographs' taken with their son Archie Harrison and are set to break royal protocol.

This is because some of the pictures may include Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, to ensure their Christmas card images reflect how she is 'very much part of their family and of Archie's upbringing'.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared the new photo from their evening wedding reception on their Christmas card last year, showing them hand-in-hand as fireworks erupt in the grounds of Frogmore House in Windsor near Frogmore Cottage

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's 2018 card showed the couple pictured on a bench in their Clarence House garden gazing at each other

'It is a break with protocol from traditional royal Christmas cards, which haven't historically included grandparents,' the source explained.

'For instance, Kate's parents—Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton—have never appeared on any of their Christmas card images.'

Meanwhile the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall shared a picture of them on a bench in their Clarence House garden gazing affectionately at each other, with Camilla wearing a cream and crepe dress by Fiona Clare in the summer shot.

The photograph was taken by Hugo Burnand, who is used to working with members of the Royal Family as he took the wedding pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's nuptials in 2011 and Charles and Camilla's big day in 2005.

Charles also asked the photographer to take the birthday image which marked his 60th year in 2008, and he has taken a portrait picture of the duchess.