The candid photograph of little George speaks volumes about William and Kate’s determination to do away with royal protocol – and about the Middleton family’s insurmountable position in their fledgling court.

According to well-placed sources, the couple felt that inviting a professional photographer into their family group would ‘burst’ their post-baby bubble.

And so we have pictures like those on the mantelpieces of millions of ordinary families – slightly fuzzy, but full of joy.

The man chosen to capture a very historic moment for Kate and William was Kate’s father Michael Middleton, a former flight despatcher whose party trick is dressing up in an inflatable Sumo outfit at Christmas

According to well-placed sources, the couple felt that inviting a professional photographer into their family group would ‘burst’ their post-baby bubble

While courtiers insist that professional pictures of the family will be taken at some point, the man chosen to capture a very historic moment was one Michael Middleton, a former flight despatcher whose party trick is dressing up in an inflatable Sumo outfit at Christmas.

It would be all too easy to accuse the Middletons of having ideas above their station. That, however, would be to overlook one important fact: this is very much the way that William and Kate want it.

The Queen, who enjoyed a very happy childhood herself, has long made it clear she is more than content to give her notoriously headstrong grandson an unprecedented level of freedom over the most significant decisions in his life.

First there was Kate’s determination, as revealed by the Mail, not to employ a maternity nurse.
Instead, as the duchess made clear in private, there was only one woman she trusted to help her through those first few difficult weeks – her mother, Carole.

According to friends, Kate ‘just feels safest and most secure’ with her family and believes that no one could be better placed to teach her about bringing up a baby than her own mother.

Read more: Daily Mail