The ‘Unwritten’ Rule That Will Change Princess Charlotte’s Future Royal Role
Princess Charlotte is currently fourth in line for the throne behind her brother, Prince George. And if the royal family hierarchy remains as it is, Charlotte will likely never rule, as her big brother will eventually take over the throne. But there is an unwritten rule Charlotte must follow, which will make her more of an asset to the royal family than we realized.
Queen Elizabeth will likely be the last queen in our lifetime
Queen Elizabeth II has ruled for nearly 70 years. Her father passed away when she was young, and she took the throne in her mid-twenties. Since then, she’s been the face of the royal family. But as the hierarchy goes, she might be the last queen for several generations.
Queen Elizabeth’s son, Prince Charles, is first in line, followed by his son Prince William, and his son, Prince George. Unless something tragic affects the line for the throne, or one of the sons abdicates, there isn’t another opportunity for a woman to rule unless Prince George’s first child is a girl.
Princess Charlotte is arguably the most popular royal child
Though George is William and Kate’s first son and the heir to the throne, Charlotte has basically become the most talked-about British royal of her generation. When George was born, the British public was thrilled to meet the next generation of royals. But a few years later, when the public learned that William and Kate had welcomed a daughter, the excitement was different.
From the moment Charlotte was born, she was instantly different than her brother. She reportedly brought billions of dollars into the British economy during what became known as “the Charlotte effect” — people were buying every outfit, toy, diaper etc. that the princess was known to wear or use.
Charlotte will need to support her brother and help him rule
Though Charlotte might be the most popular, she’ll likely never be queen. But she’ll be more important than just the standard working royal. Once George becomes king, he will certainly need some time to adjust to his role. And according to Express, Charlotte will become a major support system for the prince. She’ll be more than just a working royal — she will be George’s right-hand woman, in the same way Princess Margaret has been for Queen Elizabeth.
“The job of the royal child with an elder brother or sister is to be supportive,” said royal biographer Andrew Morton. “There is a kind of unwritten code inside the Royal Family that your job as a sibling is to help share the burden of the monarchy.” Though George might have a spouse who will take on the role alongside him, the royal blood runs thick, and Charlotte will need to step up for her brother, giving her specific role even more importance.
Prince Louis would step up if Charlotte left the family
Up until this year, it was hard to imagine any modern day royal stepping down from their role — especially one who was not destined to rule in the first place. But Prince Harry and Meghan Markle changed the game when they announced back in January that they would be officially cutting ties with the royal family (on a professional basis, that is). Though we don’t expect Charlotte to do the same, it’s too early to tell.
If Charlotte were to step down, Prince Louis would step up into her role and become the major supporter for George. Time will tell, though, how the royal roles will play out.
