Princess Charlotte’s special bond with her mum the Princess of Wales is often on display when mother and daughter are seen in public together
The Prince and Princess of Wales’s children are all growing up quick before our eyes – especially their daughter Princess Charlotte.
The world has watched Charlotte grow from a sweet toddler into a confident 11-year-old girl who often looks at ease while charming the crowds at Royal Family events.
And while fans often point out her resemblance to her father, Prince William, she also often mirrors her mum Kate, with her long brown hair and poise in public. And royal expert Jennie Bond exclusively tells the Mirror, Kate will find guiding her daughter as she fast approaches her teenage years a ‘privilege’ – even if it can at times turn out to be ‘tough’ for William.
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The former BBC royal correspondent explains: “However much Catherine adores her two boys – and she certainly does – there’s something unique about the bond between a mother and daughter.
“Judging by the photos and video released for her 11th birthday, it looks as if Charlotte may already be copying some of her mother’s clothes. She was wearing a striking striped sweater by Ralph Lauren: one of Catherine’s favourite brands.
“Guiding a daughter through childhood into adolescence is a special privilege. Catherine can share so much with her sons, of course, but there are aspects of a young girl’s life that a mum can perhaps identify with in a way that’s tough for a dad.”
As well as a birthday portrait, Prince William and Kate also released a short video of their daughter as she turned a year older, showing her during a holiday in Cornwall last month.
In it she can be seen petting the Wales family’s two pet dogs, Orla and Otto, writing a message in the sand with shells and bowling a cricket ball, presumably to her younger brother, Prince Louis.
And certainly her sporty side is something Jennie believes is something Charlotte has inherited from Kate – as well as her father, Prince William, who has long been known for her love of fitness and being out in nature.
Jennie explained: “We know that William and Catherine are super-competitive in sports and games, and now they have three energetic and athletic children to compete with as well. I bet those beach games are fast and fun!
“Catherine has encouraged her daughter to try her hand at as many sports and activities as she can – just as she did in her youth. Charlotte enjoys gymnastics and athletics: she’s recently been tackling the 400m hurdles. Like her mother, she’s keen on tennis and netball.
“Their new home, Forest Lodge, has a tennis court where they can play together. And we know they trampoline together because Catherine injured her fingers a few months ago while bouncing around.
“And it’s not just a love of sports they share. Catherine says her daughter is very involved in crafting, and their home is littered with the bits and pieces she’s working on.” Of course, Charlotte, along with all of her family, has had to come through a tough couple of years after Kate’s cancer diagnosis.
William has recalled in the past how he and Kate had the heartbreaking task of telling Charlotte, as well as her brothers, about their mother’s cancer diagnosis before she embarked on her chemotherapy treatment.
But with Kate now being in remission for over a year, things appear to be looking more positive for the Wales family, and their last public outing together over Easter showed this.
There, Charlotte strode out in front of her parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, confidently waving to royal fans. It came just months after Charlotte also hugged well-wishers, accepted gifts and was compared to a mini version of the late Queen as the royals greeted crowds at Sandringham on Christmas Day.
And Jennie noted: “Charlotte now looks to be beaming with confidence, and as stylish as her mum at events like the Easter service at Windsor where she happily waved at the cameras and crowds.
“I think confidence in any child is born of a happy and stable home life. And that is precisely what William and Catherine have worked so hard at achieving for their children. Judging by the three of them, their parents have done a good job. In recent decades, the royals have, with some justification, been labelled one of the most dysfunctional families in the land. And that needs to change.
“William and Catherine have faced criticism for making that change, by ring-fencing school holidays, for example, and by simply being there for their children in the way royals of the past have not always been. And I think it’s making a crucial difference.”
However, despite her increasing self-assured public appearances, Charlotte is largely growing up away from the spotlight – enjoying a relatively private time at Lambrook School and at home.
But like any other 11-year-old, when her parents have shared details about her, she appears to be like any other young girl, with a love of dancing, gymnastics, and, of course, Taylor Swift .
Previously, dad William has spoken several times about her love of exchanging friendship bracelets, a Taylor Swift-inspired craze. In 2024, 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.
Meanwhile, Kate has revealed her daughter’s love of dance, especially ballet, which is something she shares with her late grandmother, Princess Diana.
Unlike older brother George, who as a future King has his life ahead mapped out for him, Charlotte as the ‘spare’ has a less certain future ahead of her on whether she would be a full-time working royal. But in the short term, Jennie believes one thing is for certain.
She added: “William and Catherine will, I’m sure, do their very best to allow Charlotte to spread her wings and experience other aspects of life outside the royal bubble before she decides on her destiny.
“This is a new era, with a slimmed-down monarchy, and if it turns out that Charlotte simply can’t bear the thought of life as a working royal, I think her parents will find a way to let her forge a different path.
“In the meantime, she has a lot of growing up to do, and most of it will be done in private. But we can expect to see the young princess at various royal engagements, just as we have seen George — as long as, in her parents’ judgement, she is secure and confident enough to be “on parade”, which, at the moment, looks very much to be the case.
“I think her parents will continue to shield her as much as they can and let her have something approaching a normal life as she grows up. But, as the future King’s sister, she will always be in the public eye, and life as a working royal seems the most likely future for her.”
