By royal biographer Emily Andrews
ISN’T PRINCESS CHARLOTTE A CUTIE?
She is fast becoming my favourite royal – impeccably behaved and turned out at the coronation, she kept her brothers Prince Louis, 5, and Prince George, 9, firmly in her sights.
Yes, George may have had the ‘bigger’ role as page boy to his grandfather King Charles, but Charlotte clearly has a big personality and is the ‘boss’ of the three Wales children.
Her mother, the Princess of Wales, took a charming and very natural photo of her to celebrate her 8th birthday – as well as releasing a gorgeous picture of Lottie (as her mother calls her) with their spaniel Orla.
How time flies! I remember being at the Lindo Wing waiting for her to be born!
William and Kate were delighted to have a daughter, but Charlotte has a far more important constitutional position.
She was the first royal princess to keep her place in the line of succession (she is currently third in line to the throne) despite a brother being born after her.
When Kate was first pregnant in 2012 (I understand Kate and William deliberately didn’t find out George’s gender before he was born), Queen Elizabeth helped introduce the Perth Agreement which replaced male-preference primogeniture.
Historically, males had always taken preference over females in the royal succession, even if they were born younger (Princess Anne dropped below her younger brothers Andrew and Edward after they were born).
King Charles has also reportedly reserved one of the most prestigious titles for Charlotte when she is older.
It’s thought he wants to grant her the title of Duchess of Edinburgh (a title previously held by Queen Elizabeth through husband Philip and now held by Sophie, wife of Prince Edward).
When Charles bestowed the title of Duke of Edinburgh on Edward earlier this year, Buckingham Palace made it clear it was just for his lifetime (ie the title reverts to the Crown, not son James, on Edward’s death).
She will also eventually take the title of Princess Royal – the highest-ranking female royal by blood – currently held by Princess Anne.
So it’s clear that wh
