(CNN) -- Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
have released a family photo with their son Prince George, a week ahead of
their official visit to New Zealand and Australia.
It is just the third official official release of photos of
Prince George and shows him with his parents aged eight months at their home in
Kensington Palace, London.
It was taken by photographer Jason Bell, who also took the
official photos for Prince George's christening, last October.
The family will be in New Zealand and Australia from April 7
to 25 but it's unclear what opportunities the public in both countries will
have to glimpse the youngest royal in person.
Announcing the royal couple's planned engagements earlier this
month, the Prince's private secretary identified occasions at which the
youngest royal might be present, but kept an element of suspense:
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of
Cambridge, are pictured with their 8-month-old son, Prince George of Cambridge,
in a family portrait taken at Kensington Palace.
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"George being just a little over eight-months-old by
the time they travel, I'm sure you will appreciate that the couple will have to
make a final decision on those moments much closer to the time."
Prince George's first official photo was
taken by his maternal grandfather, Michael Middleton.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of
Cambridge, leave with their son, Prince George, after the baby's christening in
London on October 23, 2013. At right is the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin
Welby
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It showed Prince
William and Catherine -- the latter holding Prince George swaddled in a white
blanket -- on the lawn of her parents' home in Berkshire.
New Zealanders may be hoping their country provides the
backdrop for an updated version of that photo during the royal tour, after all,
Prince William was recorded taking his first steps on the lawn of Government
House in Auckland on his first visit, in 1983.
Royal itinerary
The Duke last visited New Zealand after the devastating 2011
earthquake in Christchurch. On this trip, the royal couple will visit the city
together and stop to remember the 185 people killed.
As well as being Prince George's first visit Down Under, his
mother Catherine will be making her debut.
"There's no hiding the enthusiasm for the visit by both
the Duke and the Duchess. The Duke, because he has been before; and the Duchess
because she has never been to either country but has wanted to do so as long as
she can remember," Kensington Palace said in its earlier announcement.
The pair may not always be in complete agreement on their
trip, however.
Kensington Palace said the Duke and Duchess were
"just a little competitive" and some of the events on the itinerary
will pit husband against wife.
The royal couple will board separate Team NZ America's Cup
yachts for some informal racing in Auckland and coach rival teams in "rippa"
rugby, a non-contact version of Rugby Union, in the South Island city of
Dunedin.
A century after the outbreak of World War I, the tour will
also see William and Kate paying tribute to both countries' war dead and
visiting military bases.
Their last day will be April 25 -- ANZAC [Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps] Day, which originally marked the landing of soldiers from
both nations at Gallipoli, Turkey, in 1915.
In the eight-month campaign fought
there, 2,721 New Zealanders and 8,709 Australians died, before the allied
forces withdrew. The day is now a tribute to those who have died in all
conflicts.
The Duke and Duchess will plant a seed from a pine tree at
the site of the battle at the Australian War Memorial in Australia's capital
city, Canberra, before returning to London.
