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Prince William celebrates milestone 40th birthday with never-before-seen photos

The Duke of Cambridge is marking his milestone 40th birthday with the release of three, never-before-seen official photos.

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William, who is celebrating his big day on Tuesday, is pictured with his arm around The Big Issue vendor Dave Martin, 60, who he joined earlier this month selling copies of the magazine on the streets of London.

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Donning a Big Issue tabard and hat, the future King is also seen holding a stack of the magazines in his hand and chatting to members of the public.

Homelessness is an issue that William has been particularly passionate about since his formative years, when his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales would take him and his brother Prince Harry to visit homeless shelters.

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William sold copies of The Big Issue earlier this month © Andy Parsons/ The Big Issue

To mark his 40th birthday, William threw his support behind The Big Issue by writing exclusively for the social enterprise's magazine.

He penned: "I was 11 when I first visited a homeless shelter with my mother, who in her own inimitable style was determined to shine a light on an overlooked, misunderstood problem."

The Duke continued: "I wanted to experience the other side and see what it was like to be a Big Issue vendor. My time was truly eye-opening.

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Homelessness is an issue that William is particularly passionate about © Andy Parsons/ The Big Issue

"I have always believed in using my platform to help tell those stories and to bring attention and action to those who are struggling.

"I plan to do that now I'm turning 40, even more than I have in the past. So, for my part, I commit to continue doing what I can to shine a spotlight on this solvable issue not just today, but in the months and years to come.

"And in the years ahead, I hope to bring George, Charlotte and Louis to see the fantastic organisations doing inspiring work to support those most in need – just as my mother did for me."

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