Princess Charlotte cradles butterfly in nationwide count to promote biodiversity

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released a new picture of Princess Charlotte taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.

It was one of three photographs taken by the Duchess in Norfolk, and shows Princess Charlotte, six, cradling a Red Admiral butterfly gently in cupped hands.

The Cambridges are taking part in the annual Big Butterfly Count run by the charity Butterfly Conservation. The count began on July 16 and is due to conclude on Sunday.

The couple wrote on social media: “We wanted to share these beautiful Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies as part of Big #ButterflyCount initiative taking place across the UK.

“Butterfly Conservation are encouraging us all to count these incredible creatures because not only are they beautiful creatures to be around but they are also extremely important. 

“Butterflies are vital parts of the ecosystem as both pollinators and components of the food chain. Hopefully you can beat last year’s total!”

The Cambridges have been spending time with their three children at their Norfolk estate, Anmer Hall, during the pandemic.

The 18th century country retreat on the Sandringham Estate was gifted to the couple by the Queen for their wedding.

The Duchess, 39, visited the Natural History Museum in London last month to hear how its grounds are gradually being transformed into a five-acre “biodiversity hub” called the Urban Nature Project.

She met children from the local St. Mary of the Angels primary school and helped them make spiders from pine cones before joining them for an immersive storytelling walk through the museum’s wildlife garden.