Inside Princess Charlotte’s Transformation Into a Modern Princess (Exclusive)

From the start, Princess Charlotte has made history. 

Born May 2, 2015, she was the first female royal not to lose her place in the line of succession to a younger brother, thanks to the Succession to the Crown Act 2013. As the only daughter of Prince William, 42, and Kate Middleton, 43, and now third in line to the throne, she’s grown up at the center of a monarchy in transition: shaped by crisis, modernization and the careful choices of two parents determined to do things differently.

The Princess of Wales has long been intentional about how she’s raising her three children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, 7 — with a balance of duty and normalcy. 

“Kate has the reins of power in a very subtle way. She has very strong views,” royal author Ingrid Seward tells PEOPLE In this week’s issue.

That effort is perhaps most visible in Charlotte, whose public appearances often capture a poised, polished young royal. 

“She is quite a strong character,” says a palace insider, “almost wise beyond her years.”

Charlotte, who turned 10 on May 2, held her own on May 5 as she appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony to mark VE Day, standing with calm composure. 

“It’s truly her personality — it’s not forced,” says childrenswear designer Amaia Arrieta, who has met Charlotte several times. “She looks very confident and at ease with herself and the environment she’s in. The maturity that comes with that responsibility—she seems to nail it every time.” 

Charlotte’s upbringing is a striking departure from royal tradition. Rather than being shipped off to an all-girls boarding school, she attends coed Lambrook prep school in Berkshire alongside her brothers. 

“The monarchy has caught up with modern times, and instead of insisting on all-girl [or all-boy] schools, they want them to integrate as much as possible,” says Seward. 

When King Charles, 76, was a child, decisions about his schooling were made by a formal committee; the same was true for Queen Elizabeth. “The old rules of royalty have changed,” Seward adds.

At Lambrook, sports and creativity are central — and Charlotte thrives at both. Her parents are regulars on the sidelines of her games. “At weekends we go from one competition to the next,” Prince William said in March.

On the soccer field Charlotte is known for her grace and sportsmanship — often seen congratulating players on the opposing team. She also loves ballet, tap and rugby.

“She spends most of her time upside down doing handstands and cartwheels,” Kate once joked.

Adds a palace insider: “She’s clearly sporty like her mother. A bit of a mini-me.” 

Despite the formal settings she’s often placed in, Charlotte remains true to herself. “She’s a natural and has taken to royal events like a duck to water,” the insider adds. 

She’s also known for keeping her brothers in line during official events — whispering reminders, straightening postures and nudging them at the right moments. At Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, she discreetly told George when to bow. 

“You can definitely see traits of her great-grandmother,” says royal biographer Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King. “The practical common sense — not camera — grabbing but solid and responsible.” 

Like her great-aunt Princess Anne, who is often dubbed the “hardest-working royal,” Charlotte already seems to grasp the rhythm of royal life. But that maturity was forged in private, during early-childhood years often spent at the family’s country home Anmer Hall in Norfolk — a quiet, close-knit base where William and Kate built their family away from the spotlight.

That strong foundation has helped shape Charlotte’s close bond with George and Louis. 

“No one else knows what it’s like to grow up in the U.K.’s foremost family,” says the palace insider. “It’s a shared, lived experience for them.” 

While George can be shy, and Louis is carefree, Charlotte is the glue — levelheaded and often a calming influence.

“I think George will always be able to rely on her,” says Arrieta. “Much like Princess Anne to King Charles, she will be dependable and a great asset to him.”

Even as she grows into her royal role, Charlotte is still a modern 10-year-old. She joined William and George at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in June 2024, where they met Swift and her NFL-star boyfriend, Travis Kelce, who later called Charlotte a “superstar.”

She introduced the friendship-bracelet craze embraced by Swifties to the royal household — prompting William, George and even Charles to wear handmade bands. William sported one labeled “Papa” during a royal trip to South Africa in November, and Charles kept his on — even with his military uniform—at the State Opening of Parliament in July.

There are thorny questions ahead for Charlotte and her parents as they navigate the complexities of her unique position. Being the spare to George, the future heir, is a vulnerable place — one fraught with potential pitfalls that her uncle Prince Harry, who also grew up as the spare, has made all too clear. 

Looking ahead, Charlotte could one day be bestowed the title of princess royal — following in the footsteps of Anne, 74. Though the title is ultimately the monarch’s to give, Charlotte could still choose to decline it.

“People wonder why the Queen didn’t make Prince Philip prince consort. Well, he didn’t want it,” Hardman points out.

Adds the royal insider: “It could either be seen as an antiquated title or something steeped in history that they will want to respect.”

As William and Kate navigate the delicate balance between royal duty and family life, the future of their children, particularly Charlotte, remains a path of immense potential. 

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“Getting the family right is absolutely critical, particularly in terms of what the nation expects of them,” says a family friend. 

Over Easter, they prioritized private time over tradition, choosing not to attend church with the rest of the royals. But weeks later they stepped back into the spotlight for a historic VE Day appearance—an example of their carefully calibrated approach. 

“Kate appreciates the importance of having that family time,” the source close to the household adds. “In a way, it’s modernizing the monarchy.”