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Revealed: William and Kate's 'top secret' skiing holiday with their young children was in A-listers' Alpine destination of choice Courchevel

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took Prince George, two, and ten-month-old Princess Charlotte on first ski holiday
William and Kate invited just a single photographer who took a small number of posed pictures on the brief trip
Decision to travel without telling British media has landed the young parents at the centre of a privacy row
Couple have previously complained over their privacy being invaded and keep their children out of the public eye
It comes after Prince William was accused of being 'workshy' over his lack of royal engagements and hours at work
See more of the latest updates on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they take the kids on a skiing holiday

By Rebecca English, Royal Correspondent for the Daily Mail and Stephanie Linning for MailOnline

Published: 10:03 GMT, 7 March 2016 | Updated: 01:34 GMT, 8 March 2016

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Their aides bizarrely refused to say where the royal family had stayed during their secret holiday, other than to say it was in the French Alps.

But MailOnline can now reveal that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have enjoyed their break in the pretty Alpine village of Courchevel.

The upmarket ‘playground of the oligarchs’ resort within the popular Les Trois Vallées ski region is known for attracting A-list celebrities and royals.

Film star Brigitte Bardot helped to put it on the map in the 1960s and David and Victoria Beckham are regular visitors.

A tourist officer worker said they ‘believed’ William and Kate were there, while locals said the couple were seen lunching at a local mountain restaurant.

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Secret holiday: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge invited just one photographer to capture their first family holiday with Prince George, two, and ten-month-old Princess Charlotte. The couple devote a lot of time to keeping their children out of the public eye

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Just when we thought the Royal Family couldn't get any more adorable, they went off skiing. And of course that meant Charlotte and George were looking more cute than ever before wrapped up warm in miniature ski-wear.

Charlotte at just ten months old of course won't exactly be hitting the slopes, but Kate and William had ensured their youngest wasn't going to catch a cold in the French Alps in this little snowsuit.

We couldn't help but coo over her in a pink woolly hat and snowy white all-in-one with its cosy faux fur hood, and what you can't actually see on Charlotte here is that the hood has ears on it too! It couldn't get any sweeter.

The snowsuit is from John Lewis' own line and the good news is it's still available and just £28 (click right to buy).

If you're hoping to get your little one looking like a snow angel for your skiing trip, Charlotte's snowsuit is definitely the way forward. But if this one isn't for you, there are plenty of other cute white suits available to choose from below.

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Privacy row: The royal couple, pictured throwing the snowballs, would not reveal where they went on holiday with their children

'Workshy': Prince William, seen holding his ten-month-old daughter to the camera, has previously faced criticism over his work-life balance

And a source who works in Courchevel said: 'I saw a beautiful picture on a mobile phone of them enjoying lunch.

'They were just eating, that's it. It was in a mountain restaurant. I am from Courchevel and I know the mountain behind.'

Royal aides also refused to say whether they flew there on a commercial flight or by private jet.

However a senior royal source said it was a holiday that they ‘booked and paid for themselves’.

Yesterday, the Cambridges have found themselves at the centre of a privacy row after they chose to take their first family holiday in secret.

HOW THEY DINED AT RESTAURANT WITH VIEWS OVER MONT BLANC

On Sunday the couple dined at Le Pilatus, a restaurant with a large sun terrace, which specialises in traditional Savoyard cuisine.

Large sun terrace: Le Pilatus, Courchevel

Le Pilatus boasts exceptional views over Mont Blanc and its menu includes fondues, raclettes (a local delicacy of melted cheese), Pierre Chaud (meat grilled at the table on a hot rock) and tartiflette (a cheese and potato dish).

An employee said: ‘They were here Saturday or Sunday, I can’t remember exactly. They had a small table, just for four or five people. No one bothered them.’

The approximate cost of a meal for two is £55 including wine.

The family had stayed at Courchevel, an upmarket resort feted by celebrities since the 1960s and now so popular with wealthy Russians that it is known as the ‘playground of the oligarchs’.

Russia’s super elite descend each year on 1850, the highest and most elite of its four villages, where Kate and William are believed to also have stayed.

The resort has its own airstrip right on the slopes, which sees dozens of private jets arrive each day in peak season, and boasts some of the world’s leading hotels as well as Michelin starred restaurants.

The royal couple flew with Prince George, two, and ten-month-old Princess Charlotte to the location in the French Alps last Wednesday.

Unlike royal ski holidays of old - when a group of photographers was invited to capture the family relaxing on the slopes - the Cambridges chose to escape the country without telling the media of their plans.

Instead of arranging a photo-call to mark the getaway, William and Kate invited only a single Press Association photographer, who took a small number of posed portraits.

Six carefully selected photographs were then released to the Press yesterday morning, hours after the family's return.

However the details of the trip, including where young Prince George had his first experience of snow, had remained a tightly-guarded secret.

The couple have previously made complaints over the media invading their privacy, and devote a lot of time to keeping their children out of the public eye.

In recent years William and Kate have made increasingly clear they wish to control access to information and images concerning their family.

Traditional photo-calls have been scrapped in favour of Kensington Palace releasing carefully chosen images, often taken by the Duchess herself.

It was Kate who was behind the lens to capture the moment as her son toddled towards Westacre Montessori School for the first time.

The doting mother also took the first official photographs of Princess Charlotte, which were released to the public a month after her birth.

On this occasion the pictures were taken by Press Association photographer John Stillwell.

PA has declined to respond to any of MailOnline's enquiries surrounding the arrangement, including whether the Royal Family were allowed to pre-approve the images released.

The private trip comes after Prince William was accused of being 'workshy' when it was revealed he worked just 80 hours a month as an ambulance pilot with East Anglian Air Ambulance.

A senior aide revealed that he works the hours so he can combine the job with his royal and charity work.

Claiming the Duke of Cambridge's hours were in line with Civil Aviation Authority regulations, the aide insisted he had the backing of both his grandmother and father.

But unconfirmed sources have previously complained he didn't pull his weight. 'He's hardly ever on shift,' it was claimed.

CAA regulations limit flying hours to 90 in any 28 consecutive days. William, whose 80-hour month is roughly half of a full-time, 40-hour-a-week job, donates his salary to charity.

William's public role has been subject to increasing scrutiny after it emerged that his 94-year-old grandfather, Prince Philip, undertook more official engagements than the young royals put together.

The Duke of Edinburgh clocked up 250 official duties at home and abroad in 2015, compared to the 198 conducted by William, Kate and Harry combined.

Both the Duke and Duchess are excellent skiers but haven't had the chance to enjoy their usual annual trip to the slopes since having children.

A palace aide said: 'The family flew out to the French Alps for a long weekend away and wanted to share some images of their trip with the public.'

Sources say the couple have been keen to introduce their children to the slopes as soon as possible in the hope that they will inherit their love of the sport.

SO, WHAT ARE THEY WEARING? KATE SPORTS HER £400 JACKET WHILE WILLIAM WEARS £100 OAKLEY GOGGLES

In the new photographs Kate is sporting her favourite white E + O ski jacket with fur hood – approximate cost £400 - paired with red ski trousers, also worn previously.

She also has a £24.99 Eisbar ‘Alwin’ woollen hat (makers of headwear for Austrian ski team), £39.99 Uvex ski goggles and Sorel Women’s Caribou boots, priced at £130.

And despite the snow she is still sporting her £750 White Topaz Stud Grace earrings by Kiki McDonough and the late Princess Diana’s engagement ring.

Her husband is wearing a similarly expensive jacket, by Spyder, worth £415.99, with £100 Oakley goggles.

Charlotte is pink cheeked and adorable in a knitted hat and a John Lewis snowsuit with a fur lined hood and ears and detachable mittens costing £28. Her pink bootees are by Emu Australia and cost £30.

George, meanwhile, is sporting an eminently practical – and cheap - Mountain Warehouse Cloud snowsuit reduced from £79.99 to just £24.99.

Top of the line: William is seen wearing a £330 jacket from high-end ski wear brand Spyder in the photos. In contrast, Prince George’s snowsuit is from Mountain Warehouse and cost just £24.99, and Princess Charlotte's, from John Lewis' own line, is on sale for just £28

Carefully selected: Three of the six photographs released to the public are of Kate and William walking arm-in-arm through the snow

The couple also enjoyed a number of ski holidays together before they were married.

CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER SAYS FAMILY PICTURES WERE 'POSED AND STAGED IN JUST FIVE MINUTES'

Photographer Max Cisotti, who has 25 years of experience behind the camera, has revealed that while the family pictures might look candid they are 'clearly posed and staged'.

Mr Cisotti described PA photographer John Stillwell as 'very accomplished', adding he would likely have been chosen because he is 'known and trusted' by the Royal Family.

And while the photos might look like they were taken over the course of one afternoon, Mr Cisotti said it is likely the Cambridges gave Mr Stillwell just five or ten minutes to capture the scenes.

When asked how easy it was to tell whether emotions in photographs were genuine, Mr Cisotti said: 'It depends on how good you are at putting on a brave face.

'They genuinely look like they are having a nice time and why wouldn't they? They are with their two beautiful children, they are on holiday, they are skiing.

'I think we would all love to be doing that.'

The photographs were taken first thing on Thursday morning, within minutes of Prince George being introduced to the snow for the first time.

The toddler prince looks delighted to be outside in two family photos taken while his little sister steals the show in a third photo with her father.

The three other photos show William and Kate having a playful snowball fight as they walk arm and arm through the wintry scene.

In the photos, William is seen wearing a £330 blue and black jacket from high-end ski wear brand Spyder.

In contrast Prince George’s cheap snowsuit from High Street retailer Mountain Warehouse cost just £24.99 while Princess Charlotte's one is from John Lewis' own line and is available for just £28.

The ski trip might explain why the Cambridges were unable to attend the wedding of their good friend Olivia Hunt this weekend.

Olivia, 33, the sister-in-law of TV adventurer Ben Fogle, was William’s first girlfriend at the University of St Andrews.

She tied the knot with Nicholas Wilkinson, 34, who was named as Britain’s 'hottest' barrister by a legal blog in 2014.

Prince Harry attended the ceremony at the historic Temple Church along with some of William and Kate's closest friends, according to one source.

The couple's absence sparked speculation as to why they were a no-show, with some suggesting it had been the Duchess's decision.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said: 'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to share new photographs of their family.

'The images show Their Royal Highnesses enjoying a short skiing holiday with their children in the French Alps.

'This was their first holiday as a family of four and the first time either of the children had played in the snow.

'It was very special and fun short holiday for the family, and they are grateful that [photographer] John Stillwell was able to capture the moment so well.

'The Duke and Duchess hope people enjoy the photos.'

Courchevel: The upmarket resort within the popular Les Trois Vallées ski region is known for attracting A-list celebrities and royals

Pretty: Film star Brigitte Bardot helped to put Courchevel on the map in the 1960s and David and Victoria Beckham are regular visitors

Stunning: A local tourist officer worker said they ‘believed’ William and Kate were staying in Courchevel (file picture)

Joe Little, Managing Editor of Majesty Magazine, said the change in tactics was clearly down to William’s loathing of previous official photocalls.

‘I completely understand why the media are upset by this recurring situation, but it clearly suits William, who no doubt still remembers the agony of the huge photo-calls the Waleses had to endure each year in exchange for being left alone, in theory, for the remainder of the skiing trip,’ he said.

‘Thus the Cambridges get the privacy they crave, while at the same time satisfying the incessant demand for new pix of their kids. It’s too controlled and choreographed, in my opinion, but better that than nothing at all.

‘To strike a balance, surely a compromise would be to have an all-media photo session at least once a year, as they do in the Netherlands?’

How William and Kate's private holiday is a far cry from previous royal ski trips when everyone was invited – even ‘that awful man’

By Rebecca English, Royal Correspondent for the Daily Mail

For years members of the Royal Family would hold a photo-call with the British media on the first day of their annual ski holiday on the understanding that they would then be left to enjoy their holiday in peace.

It was an arrangement that was always considered to have worked well.

The last such photo-call took place in Klosters in 2005 when Charles posed with his sons, William and Harry, shortly before his wedding to the then Camilla Parker-Bowles.

The engagement was memorable for all the wrong reasons, however, after the future king was accidentally recorded making disparaging remarks about the BBC’s royal correspondent, Nicholas Witchell.

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Royal tradition: Princes William and Prince Harry with their mother Diana, Princess of Wales during their 1992 skiing holiday to Austria

For years members of the Royal Family would hold a photo-call with the British media on the first day of their annual ski holiday. Pictured, Prince Charles with Princess Diana in Klosters, Switzerland, in 1986, left, and in Vaduz, Lichtenstein, in 1985

Caught on camera: Prince Charles poses with William and Harry during the last ski trip photo-call, which was held in Klosters, Switzerland, in 2005. During the shoot Charles was overheard describing the BBC's veteran royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell as 'that awful man'

It was a few days before Prince Charles was to marry, and Witchell asked a question directed at William and Harry about how they felt about their father’s impending nuptials.

Under his breath, but loud enough to be recorded by a nearby boom microphone, Charles grated to his sons: 'Bloody people. I can’t bear that man. I mean, he’s so awful, he really is.'

'That awful man': BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell

Initially, no one knew of Charles’s bitter words.

They were only discovered later in the day by an astonished sound-recordist and made public.

Ironically, Witchell’s innocuous question had been agreed beforehand with Clarence House officials.

Even so, Charles did not like the tone of the reporter’s shouted question, to which William responded that he was looking forward to a 'great day' and hoped he didn’t lose the rings.

The previous year there had also been a row after The Sun newspaper bought paparazzi photographs of William with his then girlfriend, Kate Middleton, on the slopes together which royal aides said were in breach of the long-standing agreement.

Clarence House temporarily banned the paper’s royal photographer, Arthur Edwards, from covering official engagements in retaliation, although later accepted that had been a foolish move.

Since then Charles, William and Harry have taken separate ski holidays to which the media haven’t been invited, resulting in a rise in paparazzi pictures of the princes and their partners.

In recent years William and Kate have also made increasingly clear they wish to control access to information and images concerning their family.

Traditional photocalls have been scrapped in favour of Kensington Palace releasing carefully chosen images, often taken by the Duchess herself.

Sources told the Mail yesterday that William and Kate firmly believe their children are too young to be ‘paraded’, as they see it, in front of a group of photographers.

‘This is their firm belief and it is one they think the public will support them in,’ they said.

As a result, the couple flew out on Wednesday night amid a media blackout for a ‘private’ long weekend.

A specially-chosen photographer from the national wire agency Press Association was invited to join them on Thursday morning and a total of six pictures released yesterday morning for public use, after the couple returned home to their Norfolk mansion, Anmer Hall, on Sunday night.

The group would have been accompanied by at least four taxpayer funded Scotland Yard bodyguards.

The four-day holiday comes at a time when William’s commitment to his job as an air ambulance pilot and as a senior member of the royal family has come under scrutiny.

He has been accused of failing to pull his weight on the number of helicopter shifts he does and yet has carried out just three public engagements so far this year.

PHOTOCALLS: ALL PART OF THE FUN... AND THEN THEY'RE LEFT IN PEACE

Traditionally, members of the Royal Family held a photocall for British media on the first day of their annual ski holidays on the understanding that they were then be left in peace.

It was an arrangement that was always considered to have worked well and the last such photocall took place in Klosters in 2005, when Charles posed with his sonshortly before his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles. However William and Harry, in private, never disguised their dislike of being paraded for the cameras.

They have been keen skiers since their first trip to the slopes with Princess Diana in Austria in April 1991. Both princes went on to take part in the annual photocalls with their parents, before and after Charles and Diana split.

Visit: William and Harry have been keen skiers since their first trip to the slopes with Princess Diana in Austria in April 1991

But in Klosters in 2005, Harry could be heard on tape declaring sarcastically, ‘This is so much fun’, while William tried to keep up the pretence by urging: ‘Keep smiling. Keep smiling’.

Since then Charles, William and Harry have taken separate ski holidays to which the media have not been invited, resulting in a rise in paparazzi pictures of the princes and their partners.

In recent years, William and Kate have made it increasingly clear they wish to control access to their family, releasing carefully chosen images – often taken by the Duchess herself.