Princess Charlotte, once again, is making sure that her brothers follow royal protocol.
Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton’s only daughter, 9, joined her parents and siblings Prince George, 10, and Prince Louis, 5, at Trooping the Colour on Saturday, June 15. The family of five watched the military flypast from the Buckingham Palace balcony as a squadron band played the national anthem.
Charlotte briefly looked back to dad William, 41, and saw him straighten his stance and stand at attention. She followed suit, which prompted Louis to take a peek at how his sister was standing. Louis mimicked Charlotte’s movements, clasping his arms at his side and squaring off his shoulders. George and Kate, 42, also perfectly followed protocol.
Moments earlier, Charlotte — wearing a navy sailor-inspired frock — made sure her hair was coiffed to perfection. She was seen fluffing her long locks, so they fell over her shoulders in loose waves.
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The Wales family stood beside the kids’ grandfather King Charles III, who waved to the public from the balcony perch. The group was also joined by Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Duchess Sophie and Lady Louise Windsor.
Saturday was the first time that Kate and her children have made an official appearance together since Christmas 2023. The Princess of Wales, for her part, took a step back from her public duties as she privately underwent cancer treatment. Kate was diagnosed in January, confirming her cancer battle the following March. Charlotte and her siblings, meanwhile, have been finishing up the school year.
Princess Charlotte telling Prince Louis how he should place his arms during the national anthem
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— Princess of Wales News (@HRHPWales) June 15, 2024
As the royals stood stoically on the palace balcony, Kate got in a word with father-in-law Charles, 75. The two bonded amid their respective cancer battles. (The king confirmed his diagnosis in February.)
George, Charlotte and Louis have been staples on the palace balcony at Trooping the Colour through the years. At many past celebrations, Charlotte has also instructed her brothers on how to behave. The young princess often makes sure both George and Louis conduct proper waves and bows at official engagements.
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Charlotte’s royal prowess lends itself especially well to official portraits.
“Princess Charlotte did [have] some great pictures over the years,” royal photographer Samir Hussein exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2020. “Just some great spontaneous moments. “She seems to be, like, a real character.”
Hussein added at the time, “I think that’s the thing with kids, you just don’t know what you’re going to get and that makes it really fun to photograph. At the end of the day they’re just kids, and you can’t necessarily ask them to behave in a certain way because it [makes for] some really good spontaneous images.”
