Not all that long ago, Princess Charlotte wouldn’t have even been a spare heir. She would’ve been “just” a princess.
But with the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act retroactively applying to all those born after Oct. 28, 2011, her late gan-gan Queen Elizabeth II and British Parliament made it so that the line of succession would stop skipping over girls in favor of younger brothers. It also meant that a daughter of the heir to the throne would remain in line according to her place in the birth order, rather than get booted down the line by male first cousins.
Though, while third in line to the throne now, Charlotte will be booted by her older brother’s children.
She will descend the ladder when PrinceGeorge, 11, starts his own family one day, as their uncle Prince Harry (born third in line and now fifth) did when Prince William and Kate Middleton started theirs.
But Charlotte, who’s turning 10 on May 2, was always destined to be more than the average spare heir.
And that was way before Travis Kelce deemed her a “superstar,” observing on New Heights last year after meeting William, Charlotte and George during a London stop on Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour that her dad was “doing it right” when it came to parenting.
William and Kate have put a priority on filling their children’s lives with normal activities—maintaining George, Charlotte and now 7-year-old Prince Louis‘ routine was paramount for the couple while Kate was away from public life undergoing treatment following her cancer diagnosis—while also readying them for their destined lots in life.
Not that having a royal box at every event, including the Eras Tour, is normal, but such outings are very relevant.
And Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Wales happens to have been born to parents who were tasked early on with ensuring that the British royal family remains relevant for the foreseeable future.
Elizabeth II, Charlotte’s great-grandmother, was a symbolically unifying figure who saw it all—globally and within her own family—over the course of her historic 70-year reign as the monarchy’s influence on the world stage expanded and contracted over time.
King Charles III ascended the throne when his mother died Sept. 8, 2022, and William became the Prince of Wales (the title historically given to the eldest son of the monarch) and first in line to the throne.
When Charlotte was born in 2015, in a post-Succession to the Crown Act world, much was made of her spare-heir status. The term dates back to the late 1800s, when American Consuelo Vanderbilt described her two children with the 9th Duke of Marlborough as “the heir and the spare.”
Opinions flooded in as to how she could avoid being too much like, well… like her Uncle Harry, who had a famously rocky young adulthood being “too much army, not enough prince,” as he himself characterized his behavior years before he aired his grievances in his 2023 memoir Spare.
Charlotte’s other namesake, her late grandmother Princess Diana, was also well aware of the term when Harry was born in 1984.
Diana strove to strike the right balance between honoring William’s destiny and making Harry feel just as special. She also famously wanted her sons to experience life outside the literal and proverbial palace walls, taking them with her to visit homeless shelters and hospital patients.
Apparently Diana also saw a sparkle in Harry that made him more of a natural people person than his brother.
She privately called Harry “GKH”—for “Good King Harry”—”because she thought he’d probably be better equipped for the role in the future than William,” royals correspondent Robert Jobson said in 2019 on the Channel 5 special William & Harry: Princes At War?
Birth order, however, ruled the day.
A million developments later, Harry isn’t even a senior royal anymore, having decamped with his wife Meghan Markle to the United States in 2020 to do his own similar-looking but independently-financed thing away from the crushing glare of the U.K. tabloids.
“He wasn’t going to be happy living his life in William’s shadow,” royal biographer Katie Nicholl told E! News in 2015 when Charlotte was born, discussing Harry’s spare heir status. “He recognized that not being the heir gave him a greater freedom. When William said he wanted to be a policeman so he could look after their mother, Princess Diana, his little brother shot back, ‘You can’t because you’ve got to be king.'”
Long before he became king, Charles had envisioned a slimmed-down monarchy, one in which fewer members of his family were considered full-timers (and therefore partaking of the public money that helps keep the Firm up and running). But by all accounts his smaller troop of senior royals would have included his younger son, who was historically very popular in Britain and beyond but has since ended up on the opposing side of a public opinion divide.
In fact, Charlotte could do much worse in the popularity department than generating the sort of warm, at times parental, feelings the public had for Harry when he was a working royal bachelor.
But so far she has distinguished herself in best-case-scenario ways—as a smart, spirited child with a thousand-watt smile and a charmer with a spot-on royal wave. Known in casual circles as Lottie Wales, she loves olives and the color pink. She takes ballet and tap. She attends Lambrook School in Berkshire with her brothers.
And the kids at Charlotte’s previous school, Thomas’s Battersea, called her “warrior princess.”
“She earned that nickname because obviously she is a princess but she is quite a tomboy,” Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight in 2019. “She loves climbing trees and she’s very much an adventurer.
Moreover, Charlotte won’t have the expectations foisted upon her that will be foisted upon her older brother—other than the general expectation that she try not to embarrass the family too much.
That being said, no one—future king or not—has managed to not embarrass the family at all, so she shouldn’t feel too pressured to be perfect.
As Kate and William’s only daughter, there will always be heightened interest in what Charlotte is up to, and everything from her fashion (the “Charlotte Effect” has already pumped many pounds into the U.K. retail economy), to her education and extracurriculars, to her eventual choice of mate will the get the once- (and twice-, and third-) over.
But the possibilities are endless, especially considering she has modernity on her side. As the first girl in her storied family who will keep her place in the line of succession over her younger brother, the role of spare heir will be whatever she makes of it.
Keep reading for a roundup of the biggest news that royals have made so far in 2025:
Prince Andrew to Stop Using Duke of York Title
King Charles III‘s youngest brother Prince Andrew confirmed October 17 that he will no longer be using his title Duke of York, due the the continued controversy over his friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Andrew said in the statement released by Buckingham Palace. “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”
Andrew continued, “With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
King Charles III and Prince William Make Rare Appearance Together
The monarch and his eldest son stepped out in October 2025 for the Countdown to COP30 event at London’s Natural History Museum.
The pair posed outside of the museum, before heading inside to meet with government leaders and advocates working to combat climate change. The event preceded the COP30 World Leaders Summit in Belém, Brazil, in November, which Prince William is set to attend on his father’s behalf.
Sarah Ferguson Dropped From Charity for Epstein Email
In September 2025, the Duchess of York was dropped as a patron to Julia’s House for a resurfaced 2011 email to Jeffrey Epstein in which she called him a friend.
“Following the information shared this weekend on the Duchess of York’s correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein, Julia’s House has taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity,” the charity wrote in a statement per The Guardian. “We have advised the Duchess of York of this decision and thank her for her past support.”
A spokesperson for Ferguson said the virtual correspondence was written after a threat made to her by Epstein.
Prince Harry and King Charles III Reunite
For the first time in 19 months, the Duke of Sussex was seen arriving by car to Clarence House—the King’s London residence—to seemingly meet with his father before heading to another engagement in the city.
While Harry pulled into the residence around 5:20 p.m. local time on Sept. 10, Charles returned to the home just hours before.
Peter Phillips Announces Engagement
The son of Princess Anne and her ex-husband Mark Phillips shared that he was engaged to his girlfriend Harriet Sperling on Aug. 1 after more than a year of dating.
“Both families were informed jointly of the announcement,” the couple’s spokesperson said in a statement to Hello! at the time, “and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement.”
Queen Camilla Makes History with New Royal Title
One day before her 78th birthday, the royal received the title of Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom from the Royal Navy.
Camilla is the first woman to hold the honorary title, which can only be appointed by the sovereignin this case, her husband King Charles III—on the nomination of the First Sea Lord, who is currently Sir Gwyn Jenkins.
Kate Middleton Pulls Out of Royal Ascot
The Princess of Wales pulled out of a planned appearance at the Royal Ascot hours before she was set to return to the annual horse race alongside, Kensington Palace confirmed to NBC News.
According to the palace, Kate was disappointed to have to miss the event but is still figuring out the right balance for herself when it comes to completing public engagements following her cancer battle.
Prince Harry Loses Appeal to Dismiss Decision in His Security Protection Case
Over one year after the High Court denied additional security protection through the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, Prince Harry’s legal fight ended when the courts dismissed the case May 2.
His and Meghan Markle’s security was lessened after they stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2021 and moved to the United States. However, in the years that followed, Harry had requested security while visiting the U.K.
The Duke of Sussex told the BBC May 2 that he was “devastated” about losing his legal battle. He emphasized, “I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.”
Prince Harry and King Charles III Are Not Speaking
Harry told the BBC May 2 that his father King Charles III won’t speak to him “because of this security stuff,” but added that “it would be nice to reconcile.”
The Duke of Sussex, who shares kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet with Meghan, said that he would love to reconnect with his family. But the ball is in his dad’s court.
“I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point,” he said. “It’s really quite sad that I won’t be able to show my children my homeland.”
“There is a lot of control and ability in my father’s hands, ultimately this whole thing could be resolved through him,” Harry added. “Not necessarily by intervening but by stepping aside and allowing the experts to do what is necessary and to carry on.”
Despite the years of conflict, he’s waving the white flag in hopes of reconciliation. He added, “Life is precious, I don’t know how much longer my father has.”
King Charles III Shares Insight Into His Cancer Diagnosis
Over one year after King Charles shared his cancer diagnosis, he wrote April 29 that his health journey and cancer treatment are experiences that bring “into sharp focus the very best of humanity.”
“Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at times frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones,” Charles wrote in the booklet for the reception to provide resources for those with cancer. “But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity.”
He also thanked healthcare workers who helped him amid his journey, adding, “It has certainly given me an even deeper appreciation of the extraordinary work undertaken by the remarkable organisations and individuals gathered here this evening, many of whom I have known, visited and supported over the years.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Family Skips Royal Family’s Easter Service
Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis did not attend the royal family’s annual Easter service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor April 20.
While King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrated with the rest of the royal family, William and Kate decided to spend the weekend at their Norfolk country home with their kids, multiple outlets reported.
Their absence marked the second Easter they skipped, with the 2024 holiday taking place a week after the Princess of Wales announced her cancer diagnosis.
Royal Aide Who Accused Meghan Markle Of Bullying Receives a Promotion
Jason Knauf was announced as the new CEO of Prince William’s organization, The Earthshot Prize, April 15. He shared a statement on the website that he was looking forward to “working with our exceptional team and incredible Earthshot community to advance our mission of urgent optimism for our planet.”
His promotion came nearly seven years after he made a complaint against Meghan Markle, accusing her of bullying two personal assistants and seeking “to undermine” a third staff member. A spokesperson for the Sussexes denied the allegations and told The Times that the rumors were part of a “calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation.”
Buckingham Palace investigated the allegations and the case was wrapped up in 2022 without any findings made public.
Prince George Makes His First Public Appearance of 2025
William and Kate’s eldest son George attended a soccer match in Paris alongside his dad April 7.
The father-son duo were all smiles at the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final game as the Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa FC faced off at the Parc des Princes stadium.
Former Bodyguard to Prince Harry and Prince William Dies
Graham Craker—who acted as a bodyguard for the royal family, including Prince Harry and Prince William—died at the age of 77 in April.
Craker was notably with the boys when they learned their mother, Princess Diana, had died and he participated in her funeral services.
On the latter, Craker told The New York Post in 2017, “I was standing at the rear of the hearse and William looked up and acknowledged me. I looked toward him and nodded. William was comforted that I was with his mum on her final journey.”
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster Expecting Their First Baby
Hugh Grosvenor, who is King Charles III’s godson, and his wife Olivia Grosvenor announced March 12 that she is pregnant with their first baby.
“The duchess is expecting a baby in the summer,” a spokesperson told The Telegraph. “The couple are delighted with the news and are very much looking forward to starting a family together.”
Luxembourg’s Prince Fredrik Dies at 22
PrinceFrederik—the son of Prince Robert and his wife Princess Julie—died March 1 at 22 years old after a battle with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder.
“Frederik knows that he is my Superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends and now in great part thanks to his PolG Foundation, to so very many people the world over,” Robert said in a statement. “Part of his superpower was his ability to inspire and to lead by example.”
Prince Harry Reaches Settlement in U.K. Tabloids Lawsuit
The Duke of Sussex reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers—which is responsible for The Sun as well as the now defunct News of the World—on Jan. 22 after suing the organization in 2019 over alleged unlawful actions on the part of journalists and private investigators working for the newspapers to obtain information on the royal family.
The deal included the company paying “substantial damages,” as well as issuing a “full and unequivocal apology” to Harry and public acknowledgement of “the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales,” per NBC News.
Kate Middleton Is in Remission After Finishing Chemotherapy for Cancer
The Princess of Wales announced on Jan. 14 that she’s in remission after complete cancer treatments.
“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” she wrote in a message on X, formerly Twitter, Jan. 14. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.”
“I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead,” she continued. “There is much to look forward to.”
Meghan Markle’s Longtime Dog Guy Dies
The Duchess of Sussex mourned the death of her beloved rescue beagle, who she adopted in 2015 before meeting husband Prince Harry.
She wrote on Instagram Jan. 7, “I have cried too many tears to count – the type of tears that make you get in the shower with the absurd hope that the running water on your face will somehow make you not feel them, or pretend they’re not there. But they are. And that’s okay too.”
“Thank you for so many years of unconditional love, my sweet Guy,” Meghan added. “You filled my life in ways you’ll never know.”
Prince William Mourns Death of Former Nanny’s Stepson
Edward “Ed” Pettifer—stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry’s former nanny Alexandra Pettifer, also known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke—was one of the victims of the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.
“Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer,” William said in a message posted on Kate Middleton’s Instagram Stories Jan. 4. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.”
Meghan Markle Rejoins Instagram to Reveal New Netflix Show
The Suits alum—who shut down her personal social media accounts shortly before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry—debuted a solo Instagram page on Jan. 1.
A day later, she announced a new Netflix series titled With Love, Meghan, which “reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to’s and candid conversation with friends, new and old,” according to a press release.
Kate Middleton, Prince William and Kids Attend Wimbledon
Kate and William stepped out for a rare outing with kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte in honor of Wimbledon in June 2025.
“A pleasure to be back in SW19 for the finals of this year’s @wimbledon Championships this weekend,” the family wrote in an Instagram post at the time. “Congratulations again to @iga.swiatek and @janniksin on your wins! And a huge thank you to everybody involved in making the tournament so special.”
This story was originally published on Friday, May 1, 2020 at 11 p.m. PT.
