Princess Charlotte turns 10 today – and a fresh picture showing her smiling during on a country walk has been released by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The heartwarming photo was taken by mum Kate on her iPhone earlier this year during a trip to Cumbria and has been released on her parents’ social media accounts today to mark her milestone birthday.
It was a decade ago that Charlotte was introduced to the world on the steps of the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in Central London, gently cradled by her mum Kate just hours after being welcomed into the world. And since that day, the world has watched Charlotte grow from a sweet toddler into a confident girl known for her love of dancing, gymnastics, and, of course, Taylor Swift.
In her life so far, Charlotte has been a part of many high-profile royal events from the Coronation of her grandfather, the King, to several Trooping the Colour celebrations – usually keeping her brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis, in check.
But despite her royal status, the youngster is just like any other girl her age, staying out of the limelight while attending Lambrook School in Berkshire with her brothers. It is a landmark birthday for Charlotte, who is affectionately called ‘mignonette’ (French for ‘cute’) by her father, William, and it will no doubt bring up proud feelings for her parents.
As former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond revealed to The Mirror: “I think every parent feels a mixture of pride and nostalgia as they watch their children grow up, and Charlotte is growing into a very graceful young lady. We’ve seen how dignified and composed she is at big state occasions, such as the Coronation, but it’s good to know that William and Catherine try their hardest to let all their kids have as normal a life as possible.
“For example, playing on the beaches in Norfolk, leaping over the sand dunes with their dad or going to a football match or a Taylor Swift concert.”
Despite Charlotte and her brothers often stealing the show on Royal Family occasions, William and Kate seem determined to let their children grow up in as normal a way as possible. Charming family photos of the children, usually taken by Kate in the privacy of their own home, are shared on social media on special days such as their birthday.
But even though Charlotte and the other children join their parents only for the most special royal events, William and Kate can’t help but share sweet stories about them while they carry out their own royal duties. When it comes to Charlotte, dad William has spoken several times about her love of exchanging friendship bracelets, a Taylor Swift-inspired craze.
Last year, on a trip to South Africa for his Earthshot Prize Awards, the Prince of Wales was seen proudly wearing a beaded bracelet with the name ‘Papa’ on it, made by his daughter to remind him of home.
He explained at the time, “Well, this is a relic, if you like, from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter decided to create a bracelet for. She gave it to me when I came away. So I promised that I would wear it and try not to lose it while I was out here.”
Meanwhile, Kate has revealed her daughter’s love of dance, especially ballet, which is something she shares with her late grandmother Princess Diana. At her annual Carol Concert in December, Kate – and even six-year-old Louis – kept it a surprise from Charlotte that the show would feature dancers from the Royal Ballet, leaving the little princess in awe when she saw them.
For now, Charlotte’s world might revolve around school, dancing and her family – but like her dad William before her, royal duties look likely to await. And given the slimmed-down nature of the Royal Family, royal expert Jennie believes there could be pressure for Charlotte to become a working royal, but she will have the perfect mentor in William to guide her.
She explains: “Given that the royals are now so thin on the ground, I think there’ll be a fair bit of pressure for Charlotte to become a full-time working member of the family and the chances are that she will accept that – just as her great aunt Anne did. Charlotte is, technically, ‘the spare’, so I think the pressure for her to become a full-time royal will be pretty intense. However, I also think that her parents will encourage her to have as much of a ‘normal’ life as possible beforehand.
“A gap year, a fun time at university, perhaps some vocational work at home or abroad before knuckling down to full-time royal life. One thing is for sure, her parents’ primary concern will be for Charlotte’s happiness and welfare. William is the perfect person to guide his children through their destiny. As a young adolescent, he viewed his future with a lot of anxiety. Diana told me that he found the prospect of becoming King a burden on his young shoulders.
“But he came to terms with his destiny, and will help all his children with their choices and decisions. Gradually, we shall see more of the Princess as she grows up, but now is the time to let her remain a child—even at the grand old age of 10!”
However, putting the future aside, Jennie believes William and Kate will be firmly focused on the present, especially when it comes to Charlotte’s 10th birthday. Family always comes first for the Waleses, which is something which is evident in their decision to skip the royals’ traditional Easter Sunday service this month in favour of “some extended time as a family over Easter”.
With Charlotte’s birthday falling on a day off from class at Lambrook School, Jennie is sure a fun time will still be in store. “The family will probably head to Norfolk for a long weekend unless Charlotte has plans for a party with some of her school friends in Windsor, perhaps a theatre trip or a gig by a favourite band”, she explains.
“Reaching double digits is always special, and when you are the only daughter, you’re likely to get extra special treatment. Obviously, William and Catherine could give Charlotte anything she wants, but they are keen not to spoil the kids, so they’ve probably just been making a mental note of things she’s been talking about – clothes, gadgets, music – and will surprise her with one or two of them.”
But there’s one thing for sure that Charlotte can count on for her birthday as Jennie reveals: “One tradition that will almost certainly not be a surprise – one of her mum’s home-baked birthday cakes. Catherine loves to make special occasion cakes for her brood, and Charlotte’s 10th will be no exception.”
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