Princess Charlotte is emerging as the most assured of her generation of young royals, and OK! can reveal the 10-year-old’s growing love of sport prompting experts to draw striking parallels with her late great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.
Charlotte, the daughter of Prince William, 43, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, has increasingly caught public attention as she balances school life with a steady stream of royal appearances.
Born May 2, 2015, she is third in line to the British throne and has grown up under intense scrutiny.
Her 10th birthday last May was marked by an informal photograph taken by her mother on an iPhone during a family hike in Cumbria, showing Charlotte in a camouflage jacket with a backpack and ponytail, smiling broadly despite overcast skies. The image stood in contrast to traditional royal portraiture and underlined her enthusiasm for the outdoors.
There has been fascination with Charlotte since her birth, not least because her name honors close family ties. Her first name nods to her grandfather King Charles III, 77, while her middle names, Elizabeth and Diana, pay tribute to her great-grandmother and her late grandmother.
At age two, Charlotte made constitutional history when changes under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 ensured she would not be overtaken in the line of succession by a younger brother.
She retained her position after the birth of Prince Louis, now 7, and remains behind her father and elder brother Prince George, 12.
Charlotte’s ease in public has become increasingly evident over the past year. At Sandringham last Christmas, she confidently joined the royal family’s traditional walkabout, posing for selfies with well-wishers.
At the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June, she waved enthusiastically from her carriage, chatting animatedly with her mother.
Her sporting interests have been particularly noticeable, especially at Wimbledon in July, where she sat beside Catherine in the royal box during the men’s singles final, closely following every rally.
One royal expert said: “Spending time together through shared interests has played a crucial role in deepening Charlotte’s relationship with her mother. Sport, in particular, has become a natural way for Charlotte and her mom to connect, whether that is on the tennis court, out walking in the countryside, or watching rugby together, and it has clearly helped Charlotte grow in confidence. It also echoes Queen Elizabeth’s obsession with getting out in the fresh air.”
A source familiar with the family added: “Physical activity has become a steady anchor for Charlotte. Sport gives her structure and self-assurance, and that ease is visible whenever she appears in public, where she comes across as relaxed, focused, and genuinely enjoying herself.”
Charlotte’s enthusiasm for football was on display when she joined her father to support England’s Lionesses at the Uefa Women’s Euro final in Switzerland in 2025.
Prince William revealed her competitive streak when he met the squad before the match, saying: “Charlotte wanted me to tell you that she’s really good in goal. She said: ‘Please tell them that.'”
Behind the scenes, Charlotte has also shown a maturity beyond her years while supporting her mother through cancer treatment.
One royal watcher said: “Charlotte has played a quietly supportive role during a difficult period for her mother. She has an instinctive way of lifting Kate’s spirits, offering encouragement at moments when it matters most, and often seems to know exactly what to say without being prompted.”
They added: “Winston Churchill once said of Queen Elizabeth that he had never seen such maturity in a child so young, and Charlotte seems to have inherited that trait from her great-grandmother, to whom she bears an uncanny resemblance. She’s a kind soul with a reputation for being feisty and keeping her brothers under control. That mix of strength, diplomacy and control also makes her uncannily like Elizabeth.”
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