Princess Charlotte Already Has Impeccable Manners

Even the littlest royals are expected to mind their manners. Although Prince Louis may still be too young, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince George, 8, are already showing off their excellent training.

While the Cambridges—Prince William, Kate Middleton, and the three children—weren’t able to be with the Queen in-person for Christmas this year (the Palace cancelled its normal holiday events in light of the recent pandemic surge), Charlotte has used past holiday occasions to show the public just how seriously she’s already taking her royal duties. 

Back in 2019 during the family’s Christmas gathering at Sandringham, Princess Charlotte and Prince George attended a morning church service with their parents. As the Queen’s car drove away, Kate followed protocol by curtsying—and Charlotte gave a little curtsy of her own to her great-grandmother, much to the delight of onlookers. “Her manners were outstanding,” said a person present, according to Express UK. “But she’s cheeky, she wasn’t at all scared.”

Even as kids, the young royals are likely being taught to follow the stringent protocol that will one day be required of them—albeit gently at first. According to Myka Meier of Beaumont Etiquette in an interview with Cosmopolitan.com, their lessons “would probably begin with simple training like how to shake hands and curtsy around the age of two. Initial training would likely be given by their mother, The Duchess of Cambridge." However, Kate’s approach would likely be fairly laidback. “Growing up in the Palace would mean that training is much less a course or official training, and more day-to-day observation and gentle lessons right before an event or when meeting an important guest to help prepare them,” Meier said.

That early training helps explain why Charlotte has been curtsying since she was just two years old—as witnessed when she bid farewell to diplomats during a royal tour to Germany. 

Adorably precocious.