Coronavirus: Prince Louis' rainbow tribute in second birthday pictures

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's son Prince Louis has been photographed making a colourful rainbow poster - a symbol of hope during the coronavirus lockdown - to mark his second birthday.

His handprint artwork is one of several photographs released by the family to celebrate the occasion on Thursday.

Similar pictures by children have appeared in windows across the country.

Prince Louis was photographed by his mother the Duchess of Cambridge in Norfolk earlier this month.

In a series of images, Kate has captured her son - wearing a smart blue gingham-style shirt - grinning up at the camera while displaying his brightly painted palms and fingers.

In one portrait, his coloured digits are raised to his cheeks with apparent excitement.

In another photo, Louis has smeared colourful paint all over his face, with Kensington Palace posting a light-hearted tweet saying "Instagram Vs Reality".

The duchess - a keen amateur photographer and patron of the Royal Photographic Society - has regularly released pictures she has taken of her other children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, to mark their birthdays.

Louis' artwork is likely to be part of William and Kate's home-schooling lessons, with the duchess recently admitting she kept the make-shift classroom up and running during the Easter holidays.

"It's just having that bit of structure, actually. It's great, there are so many great tips online and fun activities that you can do with the children so it hasn't been all hardcore," she said.

Kate also revealed her surprise at her children's awareness about the coronavirus outbreak and how she has tackled the subject with them in "age appropriate" ways.

Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, fifth in line to the throne, was born on St George's Day, 23 April 2018, at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, weighing 8lb 7oz.

He was christened at 11 weeks old, by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace in front of friends and family.

Prince Louis has featured in a number of images released by the Cambridges and recently appeared in a video with his older brother and sister applauding the nation's health workers and carers.

Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall wished their grandson a "very happy birthday" from their Clarence House twitter account.