New portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been released to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary.

The two new images – taken at Kensington Palace this week by photographer Chris Floyd – capture William and Kate smiling and in a relaxed mood.

The couple are seen cuddling each other in one shot while William stares intently at his beaming wife in the other.

Kate has now spent a decade as a fully signed up member of the royal family, an HRH, a duchess and a future queen, with the pair marking their milestone as husband and wife on Thursday.

They are wearing complimentary blue outfits in the anniversary photographs.

William is in a denim shirt that is peeping up beneath a crew neck jumper and navy chinos. Kate is sporting a mid-blue dress which is crossed at the waist and has frills at the cuffs.

Second-in-line to the throne William married his former university flatmate Kate Middleton, who hailed from wealthy middle class background, at Westminster Abbey on April 29 2011 after an eight-year relationship.

Ten years on, the couple have three children, seven-year-old Prince George, Princess Charlotte, five, and three-year-old Prince Louis.

Kate has focused her charity work on early years, young people’s mental health, the visual arts and promoting the benefits of outdoor life.

During the Covid-19 crisis, the Cambridges have been supporting key workers and frontline NHS staff with video calls and face to face engagements when permitted, and promoting the vaccine drive.

They also became joint patrons of NHS Charities Together.

The 240 NHS charities in the UK provide extra funding and additional services above and beyond what the NHS core-funds, supporting hospitals, community and mental health services, and ambulance services.

Royal writer Penny Junor described Kate as a “model of what a future queen should be”.

The author told the PA news agency: “I think she has been absolutely extraordinary and a model of what a future queen should be.

“She has got such poise and elegance and she’s not in competition with William. She doesn’t seem to be seeking fame.”

The traditional gift on a 10th wedding anniversary is tin, symbolising strength and durability.

The Cambridges have faced personal challenges over the past year, dealing with the fallout from Megxit and the Sussexes’ bombshell Oprah interview.

The Sussexes plunged the monarchy into crisis just weeks ago when they accused the royal family of racism and the institution of failing to support Meghan when she was suicidal.

Kate was publicly singled out by Meghan in the primetime television show as having made her cry in the run-up to her wedding.

It was a disagreement over flower girl dresses, and Meghan said the Palace failed to correct reports which said she left Kate in tears.

Kate has been suggested as a potential peacemaker who might be able to heal the ongoing rift between William and his brother the Duke of Sussex.

Harry appeared to smile briefly at his sister-in-law as the three talked together after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, with Kate then stepping back which allowed the brothers to continue walking with one another.