As Princess Charlotte turns 10, her parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, are thinking carefully about her future in the royal family. Charlotte is in a special position. Her older brother, Prince George, will be king one day. That makes Charlotte the “spare,” which can be a hard role. Her uncle, Prince Harry, also grew up as a spare and has said it made him feel left out and unimportant.
A royal expert, Robert Hardman, says Queen Elizabeth understood how difficult it can be to be second in line. She cared a lot about her sister Margaret, and her sons Andrew and Harry, because they were in that same position. Now, Prince William also wants to make sure his children have a normal and happy life, even with royal duties.
In the future, Charlotte might get the title “Princess Royal,” like her great-aunt Princess Anne. But it’s up to the king to give that title, and Charlotte can say no if she doesn’t want it.
Charlotte is already part of royal history. She was the first royal girl who didn’t lose her place in line to the throne when her little brother Louis was born. That’s because a law changed before she was born.
William and Kate are raising Charlotte to have a mix of a normal private life and royal responsibilities. As the royal family changes with the times, Charlotte’s future could look very different from other royals before her.
