As the first true female "spare" in the British Royal Family, Princess Charlotte is already making history. But as the 10-year-old princess and her younger brother Prince Louis, 7, grow up, their future royal roles are unclear. Traditionally, the siblings of a monarch become full-time working royals, but Prince William has already made it clear that he plans to make some big changes in the Royal Family when he becomes King. Whatever their paths might be, former royal butler Grant Harrold says that Charlotte and Louis could help modernize the monarchy when they grow up.
"There will be a high demand on the children, because their workload will be increased," Harrold—speaking on behalf of Study Dog—said. "But the Royal Family may not be carrying out quite the same responsibilities by the time they are old enough."
The former butler, who worked for King Charles from 2004 to 2011, added, "There may be brand endorsements or more support for organizations, with them being seen as celebrities or even taking on that influencer role."
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are seen at King Charles's coronation in 2023.
Prince William has pointed out that he would like to move away from the model of doing many traditional royal engagements in favor of fewer, more impactful visits. Harrold noted that with Charlotte and Louis, "It might not be the same as old-fashioned visits with cutting ribbons and visiting important figures."
"I'm sure that will still be part of it, but I think it will evolve a lot, and I think their roles will be quite full-on for them because it will be a different era of the Royal Family and a bit unpredictable," Harrold added.
Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte might not even take on full-time royal work at all, as there's nothing set in stone preventing them from choosing a different career path. "I think that's something that their father and mother will support," Harrold said. "I think the days of the royals having to be royals and do what other royals do will be gone."
Prince Louis enjoyed waving to the crowd during Trooping the Colour 2025.
He added, "I think if Charlotte turns around to her dad and says, ‘Do you know what, I really want to become an architect,’ I think he would be welcoming of that."
At the end of the day, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be growing up in a much different environment than royal spares before them, with Harrold noting they'll have "more freedom and a lot more choice."
