George, Charlotte, & Louis Are Imitating Queen Elizabeth During World War II

Royal Broadcast — (Image credit: Topical Press Agency)

The Cambridge children—Princes George and Louis, Princess Charlotte—made an appearance on the Kensington Royal Instagram account clapping for health workers.
Turns out that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret made similar morale-boosting efforts during World War II.
The two older Cambridge children are home from school because of suspected coronavirus exposure among fellow students.

Last week we got video of Kate Middleton and Prince William's three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—joining in on the "Clap for Our Carers" movement in the UK, to appreciate health workers in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. The video was designed for max cuteness, and it fully succeeded, but it also had a practical element: Despite their young ages, the three young royals are out there helping to support and lift up the public in the midst of a crisis. And it's the exact kind of thing that the Queen did when she was growing up in the middle of World War II.

As reported by People, Queen Elizabeth, then Princess Elizabeth, gave her first speech when she was all of 14 years old in 1940 (my tween self would be UNPREPARED to handle this kind of responsibility). Her sister Margaret joined her, all of 10 at the time.

Elizabeth said in the speech, "Thousands of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers. My sister Margaret Rose and I feel so much for you as we know from experience what it means to be away from those we love most of all."

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Watch full video here:

The monarch-to-be added: "We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace. And when peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place." (Weeps uncontrollably)

George, Charlotte, and Louis (6, 4, and almost 2, respectively) are too young to be making speeches yet, but they're still taking part in the roles and responsibilities as royals. I'm excited for the day when we see the kids more, but clearly, like, let the kiddos grow up semi-normally first.

The Queen's full speech is here, and it's worth a listen—some of the points she makes are still relevant:

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And, just because we all love it, here are George, Charlotte, and Louis clapping for health workers:

A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)

Divine. Louis glancing up to make sure he's not the only one clapping is truly me, every day.

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Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.

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