First day of school for Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte

Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte have said they are excited to start their first day at their new school.

The royal children have been pictured holding their parents' hands walking towards Lambrook School, in Ascot, after the Cambridge family recently moved to Windsor.

For Prince Louis, who is four-years-old, this is his very first day at school.

His older brother George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, were pupils at Thomas's Battersea in London, which is a private school, before now.

They can stay at this school until they are 13.

Lambrook School headmaster Jonathan Perry greets the young royals

The Headmaster Jonathan Perry said hello to the young royals by shaking each of their hands and saying it was "lovely to have you with us".

Their Dad Prince William said they were "all looking forward to it" and had "lots of questions".

The family were heard laughing as they walked towards the school entrance in front of two cameras and William was seen stroking Prince Louis' hair to reassure him.

Moving house and moving school

The family used to live at Kensington Palace

Since they were born, the three children have lived at Kensington Palace which sits in the middle of Hyde Park in central London.

It's thought that their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate made the decision to relocate so that their children can have more freedom and privacy.

Marking a first day at school has always been a royal traditional event.

Only allowing a very small number of cameras and journalists to film and take photos, is a way of protecting the children's privacy from the public.

In 1990, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana accompanied William on his first day at Ludgrove Preparatory School near Wokingham, Berkshire

It was very different when William started school.

In the late 1980s and mid 1990s, his first day of school was a huge media event. He faced many cameras as he started nursery and then school.

He was always joined by his mother Princess Diana and often his father Prince Charles.

When Prince William started at Eton College in 1995, cameras were even allowed to follow him as he walked to his first lesson. This would not be allowed to happen now.

Family connections

Lambrook School in Berkshire

Lambrook School is a private school that teaches children aged from three to 13.

According to BBC Royal expert Nicholas Witchell, the cost for three children to go there as day pupils could be as much as £50,000 per year.

The royal princes and princess also have relatives who attended the school, more than 140 years ago. In 1878, two of Queen Victoria's grandsons, Prince Christian Victor and Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, were pupils at Lambrook.

During their time at the school, Queen Victoria used to travel from Windsor Castle to Lambrook to watch her grandsons in plays and cricket matches at the school.