Princess Charlotte of Wales – Her young life so far

On 2 May 2015, the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in London, and at 8.34 am, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s second child and only daughter was born. The new royal baby weighed 8lb 3oz and was fourth in the line of succession from birth. Because of the Act of Succession 2013, she could no longer be passed in the line of succession by a younger brother, and in 2018, she became the first British princess to not lose her place in the line of succession due to the birth of a younger brother.

A few hours after her birth, the Duke of Cambridge brought the almost two-year-old Prince George to the hospital to meet his new little sister, and then a few hours after that, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge introduced their baby girl to the world and took her home to Kensington Palace.

Two days after her birth, the Cambridges announced that the princess had been named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana and would be known as Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. Her first name honours her paternal grandfather, Prince Charles and is the middle name of her maternal aunt, Pippa Matthews; her middle names honour The Queen (her paternal great-grandmother) and the late Diana, Princess of Wales (her paternal grandmother).

Her birth was registered on 5 May after the Duke of Cambridge signed the birth register at Kensington Palace.

Princess Charlotte was christened on 5 July at St Mary Magdalene Church by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Her godparents were announced that morning as her mother’s cousin, Adam Middleton; her father’s maternal cousin, Laura Fellowes; and friends of the family, Thomas van Straubenzee, James Meade, and Sophie Carter. Following tradition, she wore the Royal Family’s christening gown.

Charlotte’s first public appearance was on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour in June 2016, and later that year she joined her parents and brother on a tour of Canada. The following year the family undertook a tour of Germany and Poland. When her younger brother, Prince Louis, was born in 2018, she and Prince George were brought to the hospital to meet their brother. She charmed the media with her confident waves as she entered the Lindo Wing while Prince George was shyer.

The Princess began her schooling at Willcocks Nursery School in January 2018 before joining her big brother at Thomas’s School in September 2019. The duo was forced to be homeschooled during the COVID-19 pandemic when the UK was on lockdown in early 2020, but they went back to school in person in the autumn of 2020.

Sir David Attenborough, we've got some questions for you…🌍🕷️🐒 pic.twitter.com/MTQ68WnOrt

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 3, 2020

She has recently been seen alongside her siblings in videos clapping for carers during the pandemic and asking Sir David Attenborough nature questions.

Upon the death of her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Charlotte was briefly known as “of Cornwall and Cambridge.” Her father was created Prince of Wales on 9 September 2022, which means that Princess Charlotte is now “Princess Charlotte of Wales.”