The eye-watering cost of Princess Charlotte's new nursery school revealed

Kensington Palace announced today that Princess Charlotte will be attending The Willcocks Nursery School in Kensington in the New Year.

The two-year-old, who appears to have developed quite the cheeky personality judging from the royal Christmas card photo, is starting her education in the church hall of Holy Trinity Church, which was founded by Miss Diana Willcocks in 1964.

Kensington Palace tweeted this morning: "Their Royal Highnesses have also announced this morning that Princess Charlotte will attend the Willcocks Nursery School in London from January 2018.

The school, which is now run and owned by headmistress, Lavina Taylor, who said in a statement: "We are delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen the Willcocks Nursery School for Princess Charlotte. We look forward to welcoming Charlotte to our nursery in January."

Term begins on Thursday 4 January and it cost parents £14,550 a year to put their children in the nursery full time excluding additional costs for the lunch club.

School fees at the nursery are £3,050 a term for morning sessions ad £1,800 for afternoons. Princess Charlotte, two, will be first invited in with her parents for a short "stay and play".

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will then be asked to leave to see if Charlotte is comfortable enough to be left alone.

William and Kate will also be encouraged to bring Charlotte a little toy or photo of the family to school, and take a picture of her teacher back home.

The nursery, which was once featured in Tatler's guide to top nurseries claims: "As your child builds a rapport with the teachers, we will ask you to stay in the vicinity for the first few sessions so that you can return if needed."

Its official description also reads: "The morning school accommodates 32 children aged between 2 3/4 and 5 years, it is a fun and structured morning with lots of free play where children embark on the first stages of learning to read, write and to understand simple numbers with the minimum of pressure.

"Each child becomes part of a group with their own key person."

It marks a new chapter for doting parents William and Kate, who saw their eldest George start school at £18,000 prep school Thomas's in Battersea earlier this year.