Princess Charlotte’s Budding Personality Mirrors Princess Diana’s, Expert Says

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 2 April 2022

We got an adorable—and relatively rare—glimpse of Princess Charlotte this week, who turns seven years old exactly one month from today. (Charlotte joined big brother Prince George and her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at a service honoring the life of her great-grandfather, Prince Philip, who died last April at 99 years old.)

And, while we know Charlotte carries her grandmother Princess Diana’s first name as one of her two middle names, Charlotte might have much more in common than just a shared name with “Granny Diana.” According to body language expert Judi James speaking to The Daily Express, both Charlotte and her late grandmother are initially shy, but, once more comfortable, share a jovial, cheerful personality.

“Charlotte, looking touchingly like the Queen when she was small, showed body language traits that are more like her Granny Diana,” James said. “Like Diana, she gives the initial impression of shyness, but beneath that appears to be an outgoing, fun personality. She also picked out several of the cameras with her eyes, as Diana always remembered to do.”

Upon exiting the car, Charlotte grabbed mom Kate’s hand, while George held William’s. At one point, The Daily Express said, Kate turned to her only daughter and said, “You can smile,” as they walked inside Westminster Abbey together. Charlotte then smiled at the cameras.

Once inside the Abbey, George and Charlotte were introduced to The Archbishop of Canterbury and several other bishops and clergypeople. Charlotte was prompted and encouraged by Kate when meeting new people, the outlet reports.

During the service, Kate told Charlotte to “shhh”—relatable—and Charlotte adorably shared an enthusiastic wave with cousin Mia Tindall and an adorable exchange with cousin Princess Beatrice.

Philip’s service “was probably the first big test for George and Charlotte in terms of appropriate royal behavior at a formal event with the world’s cameras watching,” James said.

George exchanged words and grins with his sister during the service, James said, but Kate’s guidance helped keep Charlotte well-behaved.

“Kate’s small whispers to her daughter seemed to be keeping her on her best behavior, but walking past the row of relaxed, chatting, and laughing daughters of Zara and Peter Phillips must have been one of the biggest challenges of her royal life so far," James said. "Little Mia even waved in excitement as her friend walked past, and Charlotte must have had one of her first lessons in the restrictions of royal protocol.”

Though Charlotte looks much like her great-grandmother the Queen, her emerging personality really does mimic the grandmother she never knew: Shy at first take, but incredibly fun, confident, and lively when she opens up. It’s a personality we can’t wait to continually see develop.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.