Royal baby: Family pictures replace official photoshoot

Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George. Photo / AP

Prince William and Kate Middleton won't be having a professional family portrait taken with their newborn son, instead they will release their own personal photographs next week.

Portraits of royals have been captured throughout history in the form of oil paintings, bust sculptures and professional photographs.

But the modern Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are considering breaking the mould and using pictures taken by Kate, her sister Pippa and parents Carole and Michael Middleton.

Check out an interactive timeline of the Duke and Duchess' romance.

"One of the options they are looking at is releasing a couple of family photos they have taken themselves," the Daily Mirror reported from a royal aide.

The photos will be the first images shown to the public since the couple left the hospital with their son, Prince George, last month.

The first time the world saw Prince George:

William and Kate, both 31, used respected Mario Testino for their official engagement pictures.

Photo / AP

He had worked with Princess Diana for her Vanity Fair shoot in 1997.

However the new parents are keen not to disrupt three-week-old George's routine with a formal shoot, so Kate is sifting through photos taken at the Middletons' Berkshire home.

"Kate has a great eye for pictures and wants the first official ones of George to be natural and in a relaxed environment," a source told the Mirror.

In another twist, the baby portraits are expected to be revealed in a tweet from Kensington Palace early next week.

The couple have a busy schedule with Kate planning to join William at their Anglesey cottage next week.

He has been away from his family since his two-week RAF paternity leave ended as Kate opted to stay with her parents.

Once William and Kate are back together with George in North Wales, they will finalise details of their trip to Balmoral, where Prince Philip will meet his great-grandson for the first time.

Prince George's christening is expected to take place in October. His auntie Pippa is a favourite to be named as a godmother.

- www.nzherald.co.nz