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Princess Charlotte’s First Birthday Celebrations Begin

Taken by Kate at their home in Norfolk, the four new snaps offer an intimate snapshot of how the young princess has grown up in her first 12 months.

A spokeswoman for William and Kate said: “The Duke and Duchess are very happy to be able to share these important family moments and hope that everyone enjoys these lovely photos as much as they do.”

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Charlotte’s privacy has been carefully guarded by her family and during the past year she has only been seen in public on one other occasion, her christening.

Pic wise, she’s also only appeared in shots to mark events like six months after her birth, her first Christmas and most recently in a group picture with the Queen’s other great-grandchildren and youngest grandchildren to mark the monarch’s 90th birthday.

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Royal insiders say that Kate is hoping to keep the birthday party itself a low-key family affair.

But the rest of the world is determined to make a fuss of the royal toddler.

A list of lavish gifts released by Kensington Palace shows that among the more extravagant presents she has received over the past 12 months include an 18k white gold rattle studded with diamonds, rubies and sapphires made by the Natural Sapphire Company and valued at £30,000.

The President of China, Xi Jinping gave Prince Charlotte a priceless set of silk figurines depicting the Dream of the Red Chamber, a classic 19th century Chinese novel, when he came for a State visit in October last year.

In total, Charlotte has received gifts and letters from 64 countries around the world, including Australia’s official contribution, a cot blanket sourced from the Waverley Woollen Mills in Launceston, embroidered with the Australian floral emblem, the wattle, by members of the ACT Embroiderers’ Guild.

Kate, meanwhile, is also celebrating her own milestone this week – the release of her first fashion shoot.

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She appears on the cover of the June edition of Vogue to mark the magazine’s 100th anniversary.

The images taken at Anmer Hall, Kate’s Norfolk home, by the British photographer Josh Olins are a collaboration between the magazine and the National Portrait Gallery in London.

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The duchess, who is patron of the gallery, will visit the exhibition on Wednesday, May 4.

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