Prince William and Kate Middleton Want Princess Charlotte to Have an ‘Expectation’ About Her Less Royal Future Than Brother George
Prince George is poised to someday lead the royal family but what about his younger sister, Princess Charlotte? The 7-year-old is, according to an expert, headed for a different — less royal — life as the “spare” to George’s “heir.” Prince William and Kate Middleton supposedly want Charlotte to have an “expectation” she’s going to grow up and not become a “working” royal.
Expert says William and Kate want Charlotte to ‘grow up’ knowing she’ll someday ‘get a job’ outside the royal family
Richard Eden, a royal expert and the Daily Mail’s Diary Editor, discussed Charlotte’s future in a Feb. 17 Palace Confidential newsletter. He began by asking: “How can the royal family avoid history repeating itself when it comes to Prince George, the heir, and Princess Charlotte, the ‘spare’?”
Eden continued, saying he’d heard the Prince and Princess of Wales, have a certain “expectation” for Charlotte. Specifically that they want her “to grow up with the expectation that she will get a job and not be a full-time royal.”
The royal expert also shared he’s not onboard with the idea. “Personally, I would prefer to see a larger royal family, carrying out more official engagements and meeting more members of the public,” he said.
“If Charlotte is to get a job and not be an active member of ‘The Firm,’ she needs to be ready to step into the breach, if needed,” Eden added.
Princess Charlotte would break with previous ‘spares’ were she to get a job instead of working for the royal family
Were Charlotte to have a day-job that didn’t involve representing the monarchy, it’d be a major shift from previous generations of “spares.” Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister, Princess Margaret, spent her life being a “working royal.” The same can also be said for King Charles III’s younger siblings; Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.
Anne and Edward continue to be working royals. As for the Duke of York, he no longer does public appearances on behalf of the royal family due to scandal.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry’s Spare memoir, which officially debuted on Jan. 10, 2023,
“inspires some deep thought about how to avoid any repeat of the breakdown in relations between the royal heir and ‘spare,’” according to Eden.
Another royal expert believes Princess Charlotte won’t be defined by her ‘spare’ status because of William and Kate’s parenting
While the Duke of Sussex revealed his concern for the “other spares” in the royal family following his memoir’s release, William and Kate supposedly have nothing to worry about. Because, accoridng to royal expert and author Katie Nicholl, they’ve had it “worked out” by raising them as “ordinary.”
“I think when you look to the Cambridges and how they are raising their children away from the spotlight in pretty ordinary schools in a pretty cottage [Adelaide Cottage] in the grounds of Windsor, having bucket and spade holidays and teaching them to sail on the broads in Norfolk, actually they are enjoying a childhood that William and Harry just didn’t get to enjoy,” Nicholl said (via Dynasty).
“And I think that’s why William and Kate are channeling everything they can into raising their children,” she continued. “With that understanding of who they are as royals and as just ordinary children too.”
“Of course, it does open up the question of the next spare, of Princess Charlotte. And I’m sure that William and Kate have that all worked out,” Nicholl concluded.
George, 9, is second in the line of succession behind William. Charlotte and Louis, 4, are third and fourth, followed by Harry in fifth.
