Queen celebrates new decade with portrait alongside her three heirs

Photograph marks second time portrait of all four royals together has been issued

The Queen has marked the beginning of the new decade with a new portrait of herself alongside her three heirs.

The photograph, taken in Buckingham Palace’s throne room shortly before Christmas, shows the 93-year-old monarch posing with the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince George.

In the photo, the Queen can be seen smiling as she stands in front of the group, wearing a white dress, blue brooch and black handbag.

Prince George, who is dressed in a white button-down shirt and tartan pants, stands on the step behind the Queen so the pair appear nearly the same height.

Prince Charles can be seen standing on the same step as his grandson, with his hand placed on the six-year-old's shoulder, while Prince William stands directly behind his grandmother.

Portrait was taken on 18 December at Buckingham Palace (Ranald Mackechnie/PA Wire)

The occasion marks the second-ever time a portrait of just the four royals has been released.

In the first portrait of the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George, released in April 2016 in honour of the Queen’s 90th birthday, the youngest royal pictured, who was two at the time, stood atop a blue and black step and held his father's hand.

The first portrait of the four royals was released in 2016 (Ranald Mackechnie/PA Wire)

At the time, the portrait was printed on commemorative stamps.

Both portraits were taken by photographer Ranald Mackechnie.

The newest portrait comes after the royal family shared a series of photos in celebration of the festive season, including photos of the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince George making Christmas puddings in Buckingham Palace.

In the photos, also taken on 18 December when the Queen hosted the royal family at Buckingham Palace for their annual Christmas lunch, the family is pictured in front of a Christmas tree adorned with regal corgi and crown decorations.

During the monarch's 67th Christmas Day speech, which she gave while surrounded by pictures of the royal family, she made sure to mention her and the Duke of Edinburgh's "delight" at the arrival of the newest addition to their family, their eighth great-grandchild Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.