Princess Charlotte has her pick of top-tier mentors from Kings to Crown Princes and, of course, her brave mum, the Princess of Wales.
But there’s only one person the nine-year-old is in awe of and that’s her 73-year-old great-aunt, the Princess Royal, who has become her unofficial “princess coach”.
Palace insiders confirm Princess Anne, whose recent head injury has forced her to limit her royal engagements, has no plans of sitting around and has taken Charlotte under her wing for a crash course in princess etiquette, as she did with Kate many years ago.
MUM & DAD APPROVE
“Kate and William are thrilled,” says an insider. “They couldn’t imagine a better role model than Anne, who is renowned for her work ethic and impregnable support for the King. She doesn’t put a foot wrong while still having her opinions not only heard but respected.
“Anne was invaluable to Kate during those early uncertain years, especially as a commoner. She wants Charlotte to have the same candid tough love Anne gave her.”
Already Charlotte and Anne have formed a solid bond, with a mutual love of ballet and sports, but mostly thanks to the late Queen. “Anne has found herself filling several unexpected roles left by her mother that the King’s unable to attend to,” adds the insider.
“And ensuring the female members of the family are confident and loyal was something very important to Queen Elizabeth. Anne’s been proud to step into that role, providing guidance to everyone from Kate to Sophie [Duchess of Edinburgh] to Lady Louise [Windsor] and especially Charlotte, who, like her, is number two to the crown.”
Charlotte’s already shown up her siblings with her good manners and adherence to protocol, even reminding Prince George to bow during the Queen’s funeral. “Anne couldn’t hope for a more receptive student,” adds the insider.
“Charlotte’s genuinely interested in the unwritten rules and protocols, how the palace runs and the traditions it keeps. She loves listening to her grandfather’s history stories. Charles and Anne are constantly delighted by her questions and genuine interest.”
TRAINED BY THE BEST
“Charlotte’s getting older now and wants to take an active role and help take the load off her mum, like she did at Wimbledon, shaking hands and chatting to patrons. Anne’s ‘training’, if you will, isn’t just about rank, file and curtsies either. She’s shown her how to spark conversations, but also how to end one and move on without upsetting anyone.
“That was a tough one for Kate to learn, but Charlotte was born to royalty so is used to the subtle signals and messaging the royals give to stay in control of a situation.
“Anne’s also inadvertently giving her some juicy gossip on the family by going through some of the worst faux pas a royal can make, from her uncle partying in Nazi uniforms to Beatrice’s dreadful fascinator at her parents’ wedding.”
The biggest part of Anne’s time with Charlotte is teaching her how to have a perfect conversation, which Charlotte loves, says the insider. “They’re talking ALL the time about everything and anything – women’s football, sailing, horses, ballet, fashion, manners… Essentially, she’s foolproofing Charlotte into becoming the perfect princess and standby queen.”
Adding to Anne’s list of “must-dos” William and Kate are keen for George and Charlotte to mirror Charles and Anne’s relationship – they don’t want the pair to ever feel competitive or end up like William and his brother Harry – and they couldn’t have a better teacher than Anne.
“Anne sees so much of herself in Charlotte. They even look alike, but Charlotte’s likeness to the late Queen is uncanny and there’s no doubt it’s why Anne has an extra soft spot for her great-niece.”
