PHIL DAMPIER OPINION:
She will be the royal family’s secret weapon in coming decades.
While all eyes are on Prince George as the future King, younger sister Princess Charlotte is already showing a maturity way beyond her years and attracting global attention.
But her parents the Prince and Princess of Wales are acutely aware that their only daughter should not be rushed into royal duties and needs to enjoy as normal a childhood as possible.
One well placed courtier told me recently : “It’s obvious that Charlotte is going to be a superstar but William and Catherine are going to manage it carefully, as they do for all their children.
Behind Palace doors I’m told William and Kate have long chats with Charlotte about her role but emphasise to her that she should only do what she feels comfortable with.
Why the Duchess won’t let her daughter be the “spare to the heir”.
They want to protect her, as with George and Louis, for as long as possible, but also know they will one day have to face up to their responsibilities.
It’s a delicate balancing act but they are doing a great job so far.
“They realise they can’t keep her out of the limelight altogether, but she is just ten years old and needs to have a secure and safe upbringing.
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
“So they are letting her find her way in slow stages, with her feeling comfortable the main priority.”
That was obvious at Christmas when Charlotte broke away from her mum on the walk back to Sandringham from church.
No longer holding hands all the time in public, she greeted well-wishers by posing for selfies and graciously accepting flowers.
Royal fans were left delighted by her calmness and lovely accent, which reminded some of Princess Anne.
Winston Churchill once remarked that he had never seen such maturity in a child as he did in the late Queen Elizabeth, and Charlotte has not only inherited the looks of her great-grandmother but also her inner strength.
Princess Charlotte
Kate revealed recently that Charlotte chucks a rugby ball about at home with her brothers George and Louis, and she’s not shy of telling them what to do in public either.
Inevitably the attention focuses on her gender and how her role will play out within the monarchy.
Brand Finance consultants estimate her worth to the British economy could be $6 BILLION during her lifetime.
Her clothes and hair styles are jumped on and copied, with some outfits quadrupling sales.
Minor tweaks to her locks and even ribbons are pored over and analysed.
Experts predict she will wear her first tiara at 18, possibly the Cartier Halo which Kate wore for her 2011 wedding.
Jeweller Anna Byers said : “It has a lovely royal history as it was an 18th birthday present to the late Queen from her parents.”
But away from the fashion and style analysis, let’s not forget how important Charlotte, who turns 11 in May, could be for the royals.
Third in line to the throne, she is very much “the spare” and if George doesn’t have children, her kids if she has them would succeed to the throne.
After 40 years of watching the royal soap opera close up, I hope I’m around for a bit longer to see Charlotte fulfil her potential as an adult.
