Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, the middle child of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, has grown up in the public eye. As a member of the British royal family, Charlotte’s birthdays and milestones are celebrated by royal watchers worldwide. So how old is Princess Charlotte now, and what key events have marked her young life so far?
A Brief Overview
- Princess Charlotte was born on May 2, 2015 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, making her currently 7 years old as of August 2022.
- She is fourth in line to the British throne behind her grandfather Prince Charles, her father Prince William, and her older brother Prince George.
- Charlotte is part of the new generation of young royals alongside her siblings George and Louis, shaping the modern monarchy.
- She has reached several major milestones recently including starting school and making notable public appearances.
Key Facts About Princess Charlotte’s Age
- Date of Birth: May 2, 2015
- Current Age: 7 years old
- Parents: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
- Siblings: Prince George (born 2013), Prince Louis (born 2018)
- Residence: Apartment 1A, Kensington Palace, London
- School: Thomas’s School Battersea, London
- Title: Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
- Succession: 4th in line to the British throne
A Look Back at Charlotte’s First Years
Princess Charlotte was born at 8:34 am on May 2, 2015 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, weighing 8 pounds 3 ounces. Her birth was celebrated with a 41-gun salute in Hyde Park and other ceremonial gestures.
Charlotte made her first public appearance just 10 hours after she was born, when her parents Prince William and Duchess Catherine posed for photos with her outside the hospital. Her name was announced as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana two days later, honoring both Queen Elizabeth II and William’s late mother Princess Diana.
The young princess was christened on July 5, 2015 at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk. She wore a replica of the royal christening gown first commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1841.
Charlotte spent her early years primarily at the family’s homes of Kensington Palace in London and Anmer Hall in Norfolk. Some key milestones included:
- June 2016: Charlotte was pictured walking for the first time during an engagement at Houghton Hall.
- July 2017: She was seen clapping along at her uncle Prince Harry’s charity polo match.
- April 2018: Charlotte welcomed her new baby brother Prince Louis and visited him at St. Mary’s Hospital.
- May 2018: The princess attended her uncle Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle, as a bridesmaid.
Starting School and Royal Engagements
In January 2018, Kensington Palace announced that Princess Charlotte would attend Willcocks Nursery School in London. She began classes that same month at age 2 and attended the nursery until summer 2019.
Charlotte then started at Thomas’s School Battersea in September 2019 at age 4. The $23,000/year private school is where her older brother Prince George is also enrolled. Charlotte arrived for her first day with her parents and older brother, wearing the school’s uniform.
Around this time, Charlotte also began taking on more public royal duties befitting her age and status:
- June 2019: Charlotte made her carriage debut at the Trooping the Colour parade, waving enthusiastically at crowds.
- July 2019: She was a bridesmaid in her aunt Pippa Middleton’s wedding, amusing crowds with some quirky behavior.
- December 2019: Charlotte attended her first Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.
Recent Milestones for Princess Charlotte
Princess Charlotte has reached several notable milestones over the past year as she’s grown into a young lady:
- April 2021: The princess turned 6 years old. New photos released by her parents showed a confident Charlotte posing in a floral dress.
- May 2021: Charlotte appeared in a video thanking supporters for their birthday wishes, sounding more grown up.
- June 2021: She was again seen at Trooping the Colour events dressed in a blue and white frock coat.
- October 2021: Charlotte joined her parents and siblings at the premiere of the new James Bond film, her first red carpet.
- December 2021: The princess delighted fans by asking Sir David Attenborough questions about animals in a video.
- April 2022: Charlotte celebrated her 7th birthday, marked with the release of new portraits showing her love of horses.
- June 2022: She made her carriage procession debut at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee events, appearing composed and regal.
As Charlotte gets older, she is expected to take on more royal duties and engagements representing the modern monarchy. But her parents are still focused on giving her a normal childhood despite her royal role.
What’s Next for Princess Charlotte?
At just 7 years old, Princess Charlotte still has many more milestones ahead of her. Here’s what royal watchers can expect to see from the young princess in the years to come:
- Continuing her education at Thomas’s Battersea alongside Prince George
- Making more appearances at royal engagements like Trooping the Colour
- Potentially serving as a bridesmaid again at weddings or royal christenings
- Undertaking her first solo engagement once she is older
- Possibly embarking on royal tours and walkabouts to represent the Crown
- Learning more royal roles and responsibilities as she prepares for future duties
- Transitioning to secondary school around age 11
- Growing into a young lady and member of the new generation of royals
Charlotte’s central role in the modern monarchy means she will have increasing media and public attention on her as she gets older. But the Cambridges aim to maintain as much normalcy as possible for both Charlotte and her siblings. Ultimately Princess Charlotte’s next years will show how she balances life as a young princess with that of an everyday schoolgirl.
Princess Charlotte’s Personality and Interests
Despite her royalty, Princess Charlotte is still a regular kid at heart. Here are some of the princess’s emerging personality quirks and hobbies:
- Outgoing and confident – Charlotte has shown she’s not afraid of the spotlight, waving eagerly to crowds and handling pressure well.
- Sporty – She loves gymnastics, tennis, and seems to have inherited her dad’s athleticism.
- Animal lover – Charlotte and George participated in a spider making project, showing Charlotte’s interest in nature.
- Enjoys dancing – She was seen twirling in a video thanking fans for birthday wishes.
- Sassy – Charlotte has sported some priceless expressions, like sticking her tongue out at crowds.
- Loves learning – She seems to share George’s eagerness for learning and asks insightful questions beyond her years.
- Artistic – Charlotte draws and paints, according to her parents, and may pursue creative hobbies.
- Close to family – She appears very bonded to both her siblings and her parents.
As she grows up, Charlotte’s interests and personality will continue developing. But already she shows a blend of confidence, intelligence, and playfulness fitting for the modern royal family.
Princess Charlotte’s Net Worth and Status
As a senior royal, Princess Charlotte has the status and wealth befitting her position from a young age. Here are some key points about her net worth:
- Charlotte’s current net worth is estimated at around $5 billion, a figure she shares with her siblings George and Louis.
- This vast wealth comes from the British royal family’s centuries of assets, investments, properties, art and jewelry.
- Charlotte received a trust fund after her birth, though details haven’t been made public. She will also inherit wealth from the Queen and her father.
- Her fortune will grow through investments, bequests and inheritances over her lifetime.
- She also has access to priceless royal assets like jewels, palaces and more as a princess.
- The young royal’s finances are managed by Prince William and royal advisers until she comes of age.
Despite her immense net worth, Princess Charlotte still leads a mostly normal middle-class lifestyle day-to-day thanks to her parents’ emphasis on ordinary experiences over lavish ones. But she enjoys the security and privilege of her royal position.
Princess Charlotte’s Place in the Line of Succession
As the second daughter of Prince William, Charlotte holds an important place in the line of succession to the British throne. Here is how she currently ranks:
- Prince Charles (Charlotte’s grandfather)
- Prince William (Charlotte’s father)
- Prince George (Charlotte’s older brother)
- Princess Charlotte
- Prince Louis (Charlotte’s younger brother)
- Prince Harry (Charlotte’s uncle)
So Charlotte is currently 4th in line to become queen, behind her grandfather, father and older brother. Given her young age, the throne is still a long way off for her. But Charlotte plays an important role in the lineage as the first female royal born into direct succession since 1990.
Traditionally males took precedence, but in 2013 a new Succession to the Crown Act updated the rules so Charlotte cannot be overtaken by her younger brother Louis. This means she will make history as the first Princess of Wales in her own right someday when Prince William becomes king.
Her central position in the modern line of succession shows how vital Princess Charlotte is to the monarchy’s future along with her siblings. She may be just a normal schoolgirl now, but someday the throne could be Charlotte’s.
Frequently Asked Questions About Princess Charlotte:
When was Princess Charlotte born?
Princess Charlotte was born on May 2, 2015 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. She just celebrated her 7th birthday this year.
What’s Princess Charlotte’s full name?
Her full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana – Elizabeth after her great grandmother the Queen, and Diana after her late grandmother Princess Diana.
Is Princess Charlotte in line to be queen one day?
Yes, Charlotte is currently 4th in line to the throne, behind her grandfather, father and brother. Given her young age it will likely be many years before she is queen.
How is Princess Charlotte related to the Queen?
Queen Elizabeth II is Princess Charlotte’s great-grandmother. Charlotte’s grandfather on her father’s side is Prince Charles, the Queen’s eldest son.
Does Princess Charlotte have a royal title?
Yes, her official title is Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. The Cambridge part denotes her father’s title as Duke of Cambridge.
Is Princess Charlotte friends with any other royal children?
Charlotte is likely friends with her second cousins, including Savannah and Isla Phillips who are around the same age. She may also become closer to cousins like Archie as she gets older.
What school does Princess Charlotte go to?
Princess Charlotte currently attends Thomas’s School Battersea, a private school in south London. She started there in 2019 at age 4.
Does Princess Charlotte have a last name?
Members of the British royal family don’t require or typically use last names. Charlotte goes just by Princess Charlotte. But she could use Cambridge, from her father’s title, or Mountbatten-Windsor, the royal house name.
What languages does Princess Charlotte speak?
As a young British royal, Princess Charlotte likely speaks English. She may eventually learn other languages like French as part of her education. Her parents also studied languages like Spanish growing up.
Charlotte is now seven years old and growing up fast before the eyes of the world. While she enjoys a life of privilege, her parents work to ensure she has a loving family, normal schooling, and life experiences outside of the palace walls. As Charlotte continues developing her personality and royal role, she will be an important part of the modern monarchy’s future, alongside siblings George and Louis. For now, the princess balances being an ordinary schoolgirl with her royal duties – and has many more exciting milestones ahead.