Prince Harry's latest comments have rocked the royal ship once more – and as Princess Charlotte turns 10, Prince William and t...
Prince Harry's latest comments have rocked the royal ship once more – and as Princess Charlotte turns 10, Prince William and the Princess of Wales are keen to ensure that their daughter's future does not follow the same trajectory as her uncle's. There will, however, be challenges ahead as the Wales family strive to navigate the complexities of Charlotte's unique position, where she must always play second fiddle to her older brother.
‘That’s why she had a particular soft spot for Margaret, for Andrew and Harry. She understood being second place in a strictly hierarchical family and institution has its challenges,’ he continued. ‘Everyone is conscious of that.’
The photo, taken by Kate Middleton herself, shows Princess Charlotte enjoying an adventurous country walk
Being the ‘spare to the heir’ is a vulnerable position, fraught with potential pitfalls – that Charlotte's uncle, Prince Harry, has expressed all too clearly.
In Spare (the Prince's memoir, which the Prince even candidly named after his unofficial role) Harry reflected on the pain and identity struggles tied to his position in the family. ‘I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B,’ he wrote. ‘I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy.’ He shared that this tension led to a pointed rivalry with his brother, as well as moments where he felt undervalued. ‘My family had declared me a nullity. The Spare. I didn’t complain about it, but I didn’t need to dwell on it either. Far better, in my mind, not to think about certain facts,’ he wrote.
William and Kate will, no doubt, want to do everything in their power to prevent their daughter from following in Harry's footsteps, said Hardman.
Prince William, in particular, regards it as one of his most important duties to not just prepare ‘to be King himself, but to make the whole royal existence approachable and not at all scary for his children’.
Already, the Waleses are raising their children to strike the right balance between private life and duty, and are well aware that Princess Charlotte will one day be a full-time working royal – with all the responsibility that entails. ‘Getting the family right is absolutely critical, particularly in terms of what the nation expects of them,’ a family friend told People.
The little royal is known for his wild card antics, and the VE Day commemoration was no different as the seven-year-old joined his siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte
Kate and William are said to be keen on making ‘the whole royal existence approachable’ for their children
From the very start, Princess Charlotte has made history. Born in 2015, she is the first female royal not to have lost her place in the line of succession to a younger brother, thanks to the Succession to the Crown Act 2013.
Third in line to the throne, she may one day, like Princess Anne, be granted the title of the Princess Royal – although this will be entirely at her discretion.
‘It could either be seen as an antiquated title or something steeped in history that they will want to respect,’ a royal insider told People.
Taken by her mother during a family holiday in Cumbria, the snap showed her dressed in camouflage gear and wearing a rucksack, beaming confidently at the camera.
Appearing happy and down-to-earth, the Princess looked the image of a young, modern Princess – who will hopefully continue to grow up into a capable, self-assured asset to the royal family.
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