At just 11 years old, Prince George is second in line to the British throne. Princess Charlotte, who just turned 10, is right behind him — which means her parents are reportedly worried that she might end up feeling the same way that Prince Harry did. In his memoir, Spare, Prince Harry described feeling like “the shadow, the support, the Plan B.” Given that royal life comes with a lot of pressure, responsibility, and scrutiny, Prince William and Kate Middleton are taking measures to ensure that it doesn’t feel too “scary” for their kids, according to People.
Being ‘the No. 2’ is admittedly challenging.
Speaking to People, royal biographer Robert Hardman said “everyone is conscious of” the difficulties that come with being part of “a strictly hierarchical family.” Unsurprisingly, this dynamic is particularly hard on “the No. 2.” In his book, Prince Harry said he was “brought into the world in case something happened to Willy.”
However, some experts speculate that the Prince and Princess of Wales’ kids won’t ever feel the way Prince Harry did. Global parenting expert Jo Frost told Hello! that “William and Catherine understand the importance of nurturing the sibling relationships between the three of them.”
“Dare I say it, in their family, it would never be the ‘heir and spare,'” Jo continued. “It would be about the importance of all of them.”
Prince William is paying close attention to this.
Princess Charlotte has been recognized for her poise and maturity. In addition, she has an exceptional ability to follow royal protocol — and correct her brothers. That certainly doesn’t mean that it’s easy though. Robert told People that William is hyper aware of this, and works to make “the whole royal existence approachable and not scary for all his children.”
Another source seemed to confirm this.
Royal expert Sharon Carpenter told Us Weekly that William and Kate “have made it a priority to create a loving, nurturing environment for their young family.” She says they try to make all of their kids feel important. While William and Kate hope that their kids feel comfortable with royal life, they want them to have the chance to just be kids as well.
“William is trying to avoid the ‘heir and the spare’ dynamic that has haunted the royal family for the previous generations,” Sharon continued. “He and Kate want Charlotte to recognize that she’s her own person with an identity that goes way beyond her place within the royal family.”
So far, it seems to be working, as many people have observed that Princess Charlotte seems quite confident. “She looks very confident and at ease with herself and the environment she’s in,” childrenswear designer Amaia Arrieta recently told People. “The maturity that comes with that responsibility — she seems to nail it every time.”
Princess Charlotte recently celebrated her birthday.
For the special occasion, her parents shared a new portrait of her via Instagram. Many of their followers noticed that she looks a lot like her father. At the same time, she’s similar to her mother in other ways. Per People, Charlotte is “clearly sporty like her mother” and “a bit of a mini-me.”
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