Kate Middleton

Pair attended Louise Aubrey Fletcher's party in south west London They were flanked by six police protection officers as they left venue Kate partied with Prince George's godmother Emilia Jardine-Paterson d'Erlanger

By Wills Robinson

PUBLISHED: 10:23 EST, 2 March 2014 | UPDATED: 10:53 EST, 2 March 2014

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed a rare evening away from parenting duties by partying with close friends in a London bar.

The couple, flanked by six police protection officers, spent the evening at Bunga Bunga in Battersea.

The first floor of the venue was hired out for the birthday of Louise Aubrey Fletcher, the wife of one of the Prince's oldest and closest friends Harry.

He is the son of Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire and works for bankers JP Morgan. He is part of William's inner circle - the Prince was an usher at his 2011 wedding.

Kate partied with close friend and godmother to Prince George, Emilia Jardine-Paterson d'Erlanger.

She is pregnant and is expected to ask The Duke of Cambridge to be godfather to her newborn.

At the end of the evening, the couple appeared to exit through a side door to a group of cars waiting on the street.

The venue has a pizzeria and a karaoke bar, and is described as an 'Englishman's Italian'.

It has been reported that the couple have broken with Royal tradition by hiring a young nanny for their tour to New Zealand and Australia.

The Royal Family usually prefer matronly British nannies but Kate and William are believed to have picked a European woman in her early 20s to help look after Prince George.

She will be based at Kensington Palace and is expected to travel with the family Down Under in April.