YOUNG ROYALS, STRONG WOMEN
As it stands, out of the late Queen Elizabeth’s 13 great-grandchildren the girls currently outnumber the boys, with Princess Charlotte age-wise directly in the middle of her female cousins and second cousins.
All being part of one of the most recognised families in the world, their paths often cross at royal events and the delightful bonds between the youngest generation of the royal family is clear to see. Back in 2018 at the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony Savannah Phillips, the eldest of Charlotte’s second cousins was caught making Prince George laugh during their Buckingham Palace balcony appearance, while her sister Isla Phillips understood the seriousness of the occasion and left her cousin alone. Princess Charlotte and Mia Tindall, often pictured together at royal events, took the internet by storm during their 2023 Christmas walkabout at Sandringham as Charlotte touchingly encouraged Mia to accept a bunch of flowers from a royal admirer and Lena Tindall showed her caring side too at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations sharing her sweets with Charlotte, Louis and her big sister Savannah.
During a radio interview, Prince William reflected on getting together with his cousins and their families: “When I see my children meet up with my cousin’s children, and they all have a wonderful time playing together, it’s very special. I look forward to that a lot.”
Although hard to coordinate, these family get-togethers are precious nonetheless, as the summer of 2022 proved. A photograph, taken by the Princess of Wales at Balmoral was retrospectively released to mark what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s 97th birthday. Princess Charlotte beaming proudly stands behind her beloved great-grandmother who is surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sadly missing from the photograph are Charlotte’s first cousins, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie, as well as Princess Beatrice’s daughter, Sienna MapelliMozzi and Princess Eugenie’s sons.
Although several of Charlotte’s female royal contemporaries do not share a title as she does, these young ladies will all forge a path in the world just as the other women of the royal family have done before them. Their greatgrandmother, the Queen – a strong woman who o ered constant support to her family, navigated the complexities of life with grace and showed unwavering dedication to her life’s work – setting the greatest example of all.