The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have shared a new picture of Princess Charlotte as she takes part in the Big Butterfly Count.

The royal couple wrote on Twitter: “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. Hopefully you can beat last year’s total @savebutterflies!”

The image is part of a series of photographs recently taken by Kate in Norfolk.

The six-year-old Charlotte is pictured gently cupping a Red Admiral in her hands.

In May 2020 the Duchess of Cambridge launched “Hold Still”, a photographic project that invited UK residents to submit a photo they had taken during lockdown.

The Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey aiming to assess the health of our environment simply by reporting the amount and type of butterflies spotted.

The charity Butterfly Conservation fears butterfly numbers have been hit by an unseasonably cold and wet spring, as a likely consequence of climate change.

Its vice president Chris Packham said in July when the survey was launched: “Something as simple as recording a butterfly spotted in your garden, at your local park or on your window box can play a part in vital research into a global problem.”

The count is due to conclude on Sunday.