For the most part, Princess Kate and Prince William have stayed out of the spotlight throughout the summer months. During their annual trip to Balmoral with the Royal Family in August, Kate and William were spotted attending church with their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Now, a royal author has weighed in on the Prince and Princess of Wales's absence from public life over the summer.

In an interview with Hello! magazine, royal expert and biographer Robert Jobson said, "A lot of people might think that it's lazy or whatever [taking the school vacation off from royal duties], but I don't think it is."

Jobson continued, "They've got a long time in the top job, and after this it becomes even more relentless so I think they’re trying to manage their time as best they can whilst they've got an element of freedom."

Jobson further shared, "They've got their image right, they've got their engagement at the level they want, they're spending enough time with their kids. I think they've managed it quite well."

He also noted, "I think they're certainly stronger as a couple, but also as a family unit and everything. You only have to look at them in public, and they are very much a together couple, and they're very much doing their job. They really haven't really put a foot wrong."

Basically, although some onlookers might criticize the Royal Family's decision to retreat from the spotlight in the summer months, everyone deserves quality time away from work now and again.

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Although Dolly Parton met Queen Elizabeth in 1977, she never got the chance to spend time with Queen Camilla or Princess Kate. In 2023, the country star—who died at the age of 80 on August 25—turned down an invitation to have tea with the Princess of Wales because of her busy schedule, but she later expressed her wish for the Wales family to visit her in Tennessee.

“I felt so bad, I couldn't even go because they had all this stuff set up," the "I Will Always Love You" singer told the BBC (via Newsweek) of her packed U.K. promotional tour. She explained Kate “wasn’t going to promote my rock album, so I had to say no.”

Parton, who died after a brief battle with cancer, vowed “one of these days” she was going to take the Princess of Wales up on her offer, adding, “that would be great.” Sadly, their meeting never happened, but the star also shared that she’d love for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to experience her Dollywood theme park.

“Oh, I would absolutely love for them to come to Dollywood, that would be fantastic!” she told Closer (via GB News). “The kids could go on all the rides and we would treat them like royalty.”

The “Jolene” singer continued that she’d show the Wales family some southern hospitality. “I’d give Kate my mashed potatoes—I wouldn’t put on any airs for them,” she said. “I would just let them enjoy what we enjoy, and I’m sure that’s the way they would want it.”

“I would love to have those kids at Dollywood,” Parton added.

Floral tributes to the late singer were left outside the theme park's sign after her death, and the Dollywood website stated, “In her spirit, Dollywood will be open Wednesday, August 26 as Dolly wanted, always reminding everyone with her signature sparkle -- “the show must go on.””

Princess Kate is currently staying in Balmoral with husband Prince William and their children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The Royal Family spends time on the Balmoral estate every summer, with King Charles, Queen Camilla, and a plethora of relatives currently vacationing in Scotland.

On August 23, Princess Kate was photographed arriving at Crathie Kirk Church in Aberdeenshire with her family. For the church visit, the Princess of Wales opted for a vintage-inspired outfit, which included a classic pillbox hat with an accent bow on the front, and a white, high-neck, pie-crust collar blouse by Holland Cooper featuring subtle ruffles.

She completed her throwback look with a brown tweed blazer and a pair of past-season Ralph Lauren chandelier earrings. Notably, her hair was worn with very subtle waves and striking blonde highlights.

Prince George and Prince Louis were photographed arriving at Crathie Kirk Church alongside their parents. Although pictures of Princess Charlotte weren't available, she was reportedly also in attendance. Princess Anne, her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Edward, and Lady Louise were also seen traveling to the service.

The Royal Family's church visit follows news that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are set to move back to the U.K. imminently.

As Princess Kate is on vacation in Scotland, she is skipping a birthday party thrown by sister Pippa Middleton this weekend. According to Hello! magazine, Pippa is reportedly hosting a birthday celebration for her husband, James Matthews, at their home, Bucklebury Farm in Berkshire. It seems that, as the Princess of Wales is currently staying at the Balmoral estate, she'll be unable to attend her sister's event.

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Princess Kate has seemingly never encountered a sporty activity she’s can't do—and it seems her only daughter is taking after her athletic mom. Although Princess Charlotte loves to dance, just like her late grandmother Princess Diana, it’s now been revealed that she plays netball on a national level.

According to the Daily Mail, 11-year-old Charlotte has joined a netball team outside of Lambrook School and “competes at a high level all over the country.”

“All of the parents of the girls on the opposing teams are wondering whether or not they're going to run into William and Kate,” a source told the publication. “It's all very hands on and it would be funny to see them in such a down-to-earth environment, doing the early starts and long drives that everyone else has to do.”

Princess Charlotte also plays netball for Lambrook, as revealed by a rival prep school on Instagram earlier this year. In April, Notting Hill & Ealing High’s junior netball team shared that they experienced “a memorable quarter-final win (10–5) against Lambrook, where the girls enjoyed playing against Princess Charlotte!”

Princess Kate played netball herself in school, and the royal revealed that Charlotte was interested in the sport three years ago when she met England netball player Ama Agbez at a SportsAid event.

“Kate has played netball before, she knows the sport,” Agbez told People at the time. “She said she had been teaching her daughter how to shoot in netball, but younger people have the net lower, so it's actually very different—she's still got it.”

More recently, the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte watched the sport at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, joining Prince William, Prince George and Prince Louis in Glasgow, Scotland on August 1.

Boden has been one of my personal favorite British brands for more than a decade, and Princess Kate would certainly co-sign that statement. She’s worn Boden’s sweaters, dresses, loafers and more for everything from Zoom meetings to her official Christmas card photos, and she’s also dressed her three kids in Boden pieces.

Princess Charlotte, in particular, has worn the brand for some big moments, like the blue and white zigzag sweater she showed off in her 8th birthday portrait. She also chose Boden while playing the piano with mom Kate at the 2025 Together at Christmas Concert, wearing one the British staple's tartan mini skirts.

Prince George and Prince Louis have also got in on the Boden action lately, with George wearing the high street retailer's red half-zip sweater for a visit to homelessness charity The Passage and Louis representing Boden in his 8th birthday photo.

The brand's trademark prints are colorful and slightly quirky, but for me, Boden is one of the places I look first for quality basics like long-sleeved Breton stripe tees, classic trousers and comfy jersey dresses.

Now that August is in full swing, many of Boden's spring and summer styles are marked up to 60 percent off, making its summer sale the ideal way to stock up on those transitional pieces for fall like linen blazers, dresses to layer under sweaters and Kate-approved loafers.

As modern royal parents, Prince William and Princess Kate frequently talk about the active role they play in their kids’ lives, preferring to schedule royal events around school schedules and bringing their kids on trips abroad whenever possible. Although they have a longtime nanny, the Prince and Princess of Wales are much more involved in Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis’s day-to-day lives than royals of the past—but there are two surprising members of William's family who shared a similar philosophy to his.

Although Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were loving parents, they put duty first and were frequently absent from their children’s lives while traveling on royal tours around the world. It seems the Queen Mother and King George VI took a different approach with Elizabeth and Margaret when they were young—and it’s one that is surprisingly similar to the Prince and Princess of Wales.

In Gyles Brandreth’s book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, the author and friend of the Royal Family spoke with people who knew the late Queen the best. Sonia Berry, who was friends with the late Queen from the age of five, told Brandreth that she used to play together with her London neighbor Princess Elizabeth back when the Queen Mother and King George VI were known as the Duke and Duchess of York. She described the Yorks as “noticeably hands-on” given “the standards of their time and class,” per Brandreth.

“The Duchess, having had a very happy childhood herself, was all the more determined that, because the children were royal, they should have an ordinary childhood,” Berry told the author.

She described the future King George VI, who suffered from a severe stutter, as a fun, active father who wasn’t afraid to run around with Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. “The Duke never seemed shy, he didn’t stutter and he played games, like Sardines,” Berry said.

It might be difficult to picture the late King playing garden games, and Berry said that her “starchy nanny” didn’t find his behavior appropriate at the time, adding, “she found it very undignified having to hide in a bush with him.”

Flashing forward to today, Prince William and Princess Kate also put an emphasis on family fun. The Princess of Wales recently shared that she loves playing rugby at home with her kids, and although life looks a lot different than it did for the Queen Mother, both William and Kate are intentional about giving their children everyday experiences at their Windsor home, just like his great-grandmother did.

Whether it’s sharing some video game time with Prince George, playing tennis with Princess Charlotte or watching soccer with Prince Louis, William and Kate have been vocal that their first priority is their children.

If you've ever visited Scotland in the middle of summer, you know that layering is key. Even in August, a sweater or jacket is a must, and the 2026 Commonwealth Games mascot teased Princess Charlotte for leaving her outerwear at home.

The 11-year-old princess attended the sporting event in Glasgow with Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince George and Prince Louis on Saturday, August 1, wearing an adorable white polka-dot dress. The short-sleeved, ruffled style by Guess featured navy spots and matching navy trim along the waist, sleeves and skirt, and Charlotte appeared visibly cold in videos shared from the games.

With a high of 61 degrees on Saturday and some gusts of wind, it's no wonder Princess Charlotte was chilly, and the 2026 Commonwealth Games mascot, Finnie the Unicorn, couldn't help but point out her shivers.

In a video shared by Hello! magazine, the Wales family looked notably windswept as they met representatives from the Commonwealth Games, including Finnie, and the mascot mimicked Princess Charlotte by wrapping its arms around itself and pretended to shiver. The princess took the gentle teasing in stride, giving the unicorn a high-five as Finnie greeted the royals.

This is the second polka-dot dress by Guess that Princess Charlotte has worn, with the 11-year-old previously sporting a navy spotted design to Wimbledon 2024, the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 Final and a church visit at Balmoral.

"So nice to see her out of baby dresses. She looks so pretty," one fan commented on Royal Fashion Police's post on Instagram. Another social media user praised the affordable and "age appropriate" look, writing, in part, "Beautiful Charlotte 😍. They can afford every luxurious brands, but their parents chose lessons over brands."

The rest of the Wales family opted for long sleeves at the Commonwealth Games, with Prince William and Princess Kate both wearing blazers while Prince George and Prince Louis wore button-up shirts with trousers.

The Princess of Wales added a pleated white maxi skirt and a nautical striped top to her green Ralph Lauren blazer, with her La Ligne sweater vest coordinating perfectly with Charlotte's dotted dress.

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Prince William and Princess Kate brought all three of their children to the Commonwealth Games for the first time on Saturday, August 1, and along with commenting on Prince Louis’s cute reactions, fans couldn’t help but notice that chatty Kate got left behind by her family at one point.

In a video shared by Hello! magazine, the Prince of Wales was pictured getting into a waiting car with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis after their day out in Glasgow, Scotland. But the Princess of Wales was nowhere to be found until the camera panned over to her talking away to Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy by the side of the road.

The Princess of Wales has admitted that she often gets caught up talking to people for too long during royal events, but this time, there was a very meaningful reason she was making her family wait. Hoy announced in 2024 that he was diagnosed with terminal stage four prostate cancer, and fans pointed out that the princess, who is now in remission from cancer herself, was likely talking about their shared struggles.

“Once you’ve been touched by cancer you will never rush a conversation with someone who is going through it,” one fan commented on the video, while another added, “That’s good as thats one thing he does not have is time and that’s why she understands.”

Princess Kate has talked about her love of a long conversation in the past, sharing in the 2016 documentary Our Queen at Ninety that members of the Royal Family poke fun at her for her chatty ways.

“There’s a real art to walkabouts, everybody teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting,” she said. “I still have to learn a little bit more, and to pick up a few more tips, I suppose.”

In this instance, however, it’s safe to say that the Prince of Wales completely understands.

This weekend, Princess Kate and Prince William took their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—to Scotland for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. While Prince William snapped into "dad mode" and conducted damage control, Prince Louis made one revelation about Princess Charlotte that might surprise people.

During the event, Princess Kate highlighted her youngest son while speaking to some gymnasts. "Louis, you're perfecting your handstand at the moment," the Princess of Wales explained (via Hello! magazine). He reportedly responded by saying, "A bit...Charlotte says I'm not very good."

According to Hello! magazine, "Princess Charlotte proudly admitted she could successfully do a handstand." But when it came to witnessing Louis's attempts, Charlotte was allegedly unimpressed.

As for Prince George, he candidly revealed, "I'm rubbish at anything that involves flexibility."

Meanwhile, a slightly awkward moment occurred at the event when Prince George was asked a question by a TV presenter.

As reported by the Express, Princess Kate revealed that an Olympian had encouraged her and Prince William to take part in a cycling event, saying, "Be careful what you wish for, as they want to put us on a tandem bike in the velodrome."

TV presenter Gethin Jones subsequently asked Prince George, "Would you like to see mom and dad on a tandem in the velodrome later?" The 13-year-old quickly responded by resolutely saying, "No."

Prince William interjected, telling Prince George, "We embarrass you enough as it is."

Basically, it seems as though Kate and William's visit to the 2026 Commonwealth Games with their three kids was extremely eventful.

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Prince George accompanied his siblings, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte, and their parents, Princess Kate and Prince William, to the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland this weekend. While Prince William snapped into "dad mode" to seemingly reassure Louis, another moment involved him revealing that they "embarrass [Prince George] enough."

During an interview with TV presenter Gethin Jones, Princess Kate revealed that an Olympic cyclist had "attempted to persuade" her and Prince William to take part in "track cycling," the Express reported. Princess Kate also shared that she responded by saying, "Be careful what you wish for, as they want to put us on a tandem bike in the velodrome."

Jones took the opportunity to ask George for his opinion, saying, "Would you like to see mom and dad on a tandem in the velodrome later?" Prince George reportedly provided a very clipped response by simply saying, "No."

Prince William appeared to leap into damage control to smooth over the potentially awkward moment by telling Prince George, "We embarrass you enough as it is."

Prince George recently turned 13, meaning that he's finally a teenager and set to attend boarding school at Eton College this fall.

Royal editor Emily Ferguson recently suggested in the Express, "The young prince will undoubtedly be asking the question all parents dread: can I have a phone?"

"So far, modern parents William and Catherine have stood firm and prohibited their children from having phones," the royal expert shared.

Ferguson continued, "But with George heading to a new school and spending time away from the family, his parents are expected to relent."

For now, at least, Prince William is making it clear that his son endures enough embarrassment without having to watch his parents riding a tandem bike.

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When Prince William becomes King, his eldest son, Prince George, will become the heir apparent. And when George finally accedes the throne, his siblings will take on new roles within the Royal Family. But according to one royal author, it's imperative that Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are allowed to carve out their own roles.

Royal author Simon Vigar, who recently released new book Four Wives of Windsor: Rivalries, Influence, and the Real Power Behind the Crown, spoke to Hello! magazine's "A Right Royal Podcast" about Charlotte and Louis's futures.

"[T]here has to be a better way of doing this," Vigar shared. "There must be a way that Charlotte and Louis can support their brother in the decades to come and still have their own lives."

Vigar continued, "I don't know this for sure that Catherine and William are talking about it, but William keeps dropping these hints about change, doesn't he?"

In another interview, Vigar suggested that Prince William would likely implement new policies regarding press access to the Royal Family when he's King.

"In terms of when George, Charlotte, and Louis complete university, once they're in their twenties, I think it'll be a similar deal, and privacy law is changing all the time," the author explained to GB News. "There will be similar conversations."

Vigar continued, "I would have thought occasional public bust-ups as well about what can be printed about the people that we know are [dating] the young royals...it'll definitely develop."

Basically, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis's futures aren't necessarily mapped out. And once Prince William is King, it's likely that he'll make some significant changes about how the Royal Family operates.

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Princess Kate is an incredibly influential member of the Royal Family. While her fashion choices cause items of clothing to immediately sell out, her hair and beauty decisions also inspire a plethora of royal fans around the globe. However, in the latest poll regarding who the most popular member of the Royal Family is, Princess Kate was beaten by an unexpected person.

According to the latest YouGov poll, Prince William is currently the most popular member of the British Royal Family. 76 percent of those asked had a positive opinion of the Prince of Wales, compared to 74 percent for his wife Princess Kate.

Princess Anne came third place in the poll, with 70 percent of voters sharing a positive opinion about the Princess Royal. Unfortunately for King Charles, his popularity appears to have waned, with the monarch only receiving a score of 60 percent.

While Prince Edward drew a positive opinion of 53 percent, his wife, Duchess Sophie, received only 51 percent. Still, both scored considerably higher than Queen Camilla, who scored just 43 percent.

According to YouGov, Prince William and Princess Kate "continue to be the most positively viewed royals, with around three quarters of Britons seeing the Waleses in a favorable light, figures largely unchanged over the last few years."

When it comes to the Royal Family in general, a larger percentage of voters appear to view the institution in a more negative light.

"Attitudes towards the family and monarchy as a whole remain mostly positive, with around six in ten Britons seeing the Royal Family in general and the institution of the monarchy in favorable lights, though a persistent third see both negatively," YouGov reported.

For now, at least, Prince William is reportedly the most popular member of the Royal Family.

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Prince William is attending the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland this weekend, alongside wife Princess Kate and their children—Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte. The royals recently attended Wimbledon 2026 together, and it's clear that the Prince of Wales is always on high-alert when it comes to protecting his children.

In one particularly sweet moment, Prince William was seen with his arm around Prince Louis's back as the family exited The Hydro in Glasgow. Louis, Charlotte, and George were all greeted by a large group of people outside of the venue. While it's unclear whether Prince Louis was overwhelmed by the scale of the sporting event, the little royal has appeared to be more subdued during his recent appearances. Basically, his trademark cheeky demeanor appears to have been on vacation.

By placing his arm around his youngest son, Prince William showed his protective "dad mode" nature, and made it clear that he was ensuring his children were safe at the large event.

For the sporting event, Princess Kate paired a classic French girl staple—a Breton striped top—with a new Ralph Lauren Collection blazer. For accessorizes, the Princess of Wales opted for her Anya Hindmarch Neeson Small Square Tote in Chalk and a pair of $2,025 Annoushka Favorites Pearl Earrings.

Royal fans will be delighted to see Princess Kate and Prince William attending an event with their three children. The fact that Prince William displayed his quick-thinking "dad mode" is simply a bonus.

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In recent years, Prince William has taken on a more central role within the Royal Family. As the heir apparent, William knows he'll one day become King, following the death of his father. As the Prince of Wales prepares for the future, one royal expert believes William has already "dropped big hints" about what everyone can expect from him.

In an interview with GB News, royal correspondent and author Simon Vigar—who is set to release The Four Wives of Windsor: Rivalries, Influence, and the Real Power Behind the Crown later this month—discussed Prince William's alleged plans.

"William dropped those big hints in the Apple TV documentary [The Reluctant Traveler], talking actually about the changes that he wants to make," Vigar explained. In particular, Prince William addressed the "insatiable" press interest surrounding the Royal Family, which leads to a lack of privacy.

According to Vigar, Prince William is likely to prioritize making a change when it comes to how the media interacts with the Royal Family. "I put money on that being one of them," he told the outlet

Vigar also believes that Prince William will seek to protect his three children—Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte—as they embark upon their adult lives.

"The gentleman's agreement to leave William alone at university did hold, and of course, it was a camera crew from a TV company owned by his uncle [Prince] Edward—that was the only one that actually broke it," per Vigar.

The royal biographer continued, "In terms of when George, Charlotte, and Louis complete university, once they're in their twenties, I think it'll be a similar deal, and privacy law is changing all the time. There will be similar conversations."

Vigar also suggested that rules regarding "what can be printed about the people" that begin dating "the young royals" will also undergo change. "It'll definitely develop," Vigar explained.

As Prince William always makes his family a priority, it makes sense that he'd want to ensure their safety as much as possible once he's King.

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Prince George will celebrate his 13th birthday on Wednesday, July 22, and this fall, he’ll head away from home to follow in his father’s boarding school footsteps at Eton College. Although George will be the same age as Prince William was when he enrolled at Eton, their lives couldn’t be more different, as royal experts and sources close to the Wales family have revealed.

As the first heir to the throne to be raised in a world with social media, George’s time at Eton will certainly look different than his father’s. But when he arrives in the historic town, George will have the benefit of a stable family to come back to in Windsor—a much different familial situation than the one William found himself in as a teenager.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, royal journalist and biographer Robert Jobson said that “the difference is everything,” when it comes to George’s home life and his father’s.

When Prince William started his boarding school journey in 1995, Prince Charles and Princess Diana were separated, making for an awkward photo call with the family. George, however, will have the support of a united family when the Waleses pose for similar photos at the start of term.

“William walked into Eton carrying his parents’ marital war,” Jobson said. “George walks in from a settled home.”

However, life hasn’t been without its challenges for George, who was there to cheer on the Princess of Wales when she recently completed the National Three Peaks climbing challenge to support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

“He has not been spared pain,” Jobson noted. “He watched his mother fight and beat cancer. He watched his grandfather live with it. He has emerged steadier.”

Although Prince George is “aware of his future,” as friends of William and Kate's tell the Telegraph, the soon-to-be teenager is also “incredibly down to earth.”

Whether it's taking part in tennis or art, George is a busy student enjoying his last year of school before the world of Eton and a future of royal responsibilities takes over.

As a royal news editor and style expert, I’m always keeping an eye on the brands that Princess Kate, Meghan Markle, Duchess Sophie and Princess Charlotte are wearing. And while I own my fair share of royally-approved coats, shoes, earrings and handbags, many of the monarchy’s favorite styles are somewhat out of reach.

That’s where the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale comes in. Running from now until August 9, the sale is one of my favorite times of the year to shop royal brands for less. You’ll find everything from Kate and Meghan’s favorite jeans to perfume, jewelry and shoes beloved by the likes of Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth.

Below, find some of my personal picks from this year's Anniversary Sale—while the deals last.

Princess Charlotte’s transition to teenhood is coming soon, but for now, Prince William and Princess Kate’s 11-year-old daughter is busy with ballet, playing tennis and enjoying her final few years at Lambrook School. Now that she's not quite so little, her style has shifted to a more tween aesthetic—and a look at her last three Wimbledon outfits shows the source of Charlotte’s fashion inspiration.

As patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Princess Kate is an integral part of the Wimbledon championships every year, and she’s been bringing Princess Charlotte every summer since 2023.

Charlotte was just eight when she attended her first Wimbledon match in a Liberty-print floral dress that wouldn’t have looked out of place on Queen Elizabeth as a child. But since then, her tennis outfits have followed more closely in Princess Kate’s fashion footsteps, both in terms of style and designer.

Instead of dresses from traditional childrenswear brands like she's worn in the past, Princess Charlotte has been turning to some of her mom's favorite styles.

In 2024, Charlotte wore Kate-approved navy polka dots as she joined her mom and aunt Pippa Middleton for the men’s singles final, with her Guess dress bringing back memories of the dotted Alessandra Rich design Princess Kate wore to the championships in 2022.

"It felt like a bit of a milestone, like she's transitioning from a sweet little girl in smocked floral dresses to a slightly more grown-up tween vibe," Bethan Holt, style director at the Telegraph, told People at the time.

Charlotte upped the Wimbledon style stakes in a major way last summer, stepping out in a sleeveless ivory dress with black trim by none other than the Princess of Wales’s wedding dress designer, Sarah Burton. If the custom designer dress seems familiar, it’s because it gives off very similar vibes as the Emilia Wickstead style Princess Kate wore to the Royal Charity Polo Cup in 2022.

This year, Princess Kate looked to a more recent example from her closet when it came to her only daughter’s Wimbledon outfit, dressing Charlotte in a bespoke blue Jenny Packham dress. The British designer has been Kate’s go-to for eveningwear ever since she married into the Royal Family, but the dress also features the same cobalt blue shade and similar sleeve detail as the Roksanda midi dress the Princess of Wales wore to Wimbledon last summer.

Marie Claire contributor and royal fashion expert Christine Ross says that it’s natural for Kate to choose similar styles for her daughter, but with a tween twist.

“Princess Charlotte has the perfect fashion role model at home showing how to balance modern trends with what we expect from royal style,” Ross shares. “Kate knows how to dress for the unique royal spotlight, and as she selects outfits for Princess Charlotte’s most public moments she’s undoubtedly pulling from her own experiences.”

In terms of Charlotte's wardrobe, Ross adds that “leaning into girlish frills and youthful fashion details” makes Charlotte’s outfits appropriate for her age while also “sticking to the colors and styles that Princess Kate has already shown are tried and true.”

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Princess Charlotte is already starting style trends at age 11, with her adorable Ted Baker charm bracelet selling out soon after her appearance at the Wimbledon men's finals on July 12. The tween princess took after her mom at the tennis championships, wearing a custom Jenny Packham dress that channeled the outfit Princess Kate wore to last year's men's finals. But she also matched with her mom in another way, with both royals sporting this summer's biggest nail trend.

Princess Charlotte wore bright pink nail polish to Wimbledon last year, but she traded her bubblegum style for a bare manicure at the 2026 men's finals, coordinating with mom Kate in clear polish.

The Princess of Wales has always favored short, bare nails or the softest hint of polish, but it seems she's started a bit of a movement in the beauty world.

This year, more people—including Princess Charlotte—are moving away from bright colors and designs to what some are calling the "rich bare nail" trend. Think sheer, clear or no polish at all with neat, shorter nails.

"The argument, from a cultural perspective, is that given the prevalence of standing nail appointments, the scarcity mindset that anoints what’s luxurious and what’s not has finally tipped manicured nails into the passé category, while bare or barely there nails are crowned the ultimate luxury," Marie Claire's beauty director, Hannah Baxter, says of the trend.

But even if it might seem like the royals don't do anything to their nails, it still takes work to pull off a bare manicure, as nail artist Jessica White previously told Marie Claire. "The reality is, a clean manicure is still a manicure," White said.

Keeping up with filing, trimming, buffing and the like—whether at home or at the salon—is essential to pulling off Kate and Charlotte's bare manicures.

For the royals, however, it's hardly a trend. Princess Kate was showing off the clean look before it was ever a thing, and Queen Elizabeth's hatmaker, Stella McLaren, recently told me that the late Queen "never" polished her nails. The Princess of Wales has made some exceptions, though, like on Easter Sunday 2023, when she turned up to church with a vivid red manicure.

As for Charlotte's nails, fans likely won't see her again in public until Christmas, but perhaps she'll buck tradition and go with a holiday red or even reindeer nails like Princess Eugenie.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte have become regulars at Wimbledon, and this year, they joined their parents to watch Jannik Sinner defeat Alexander Zverev in the men’s finals on July 12. Following the exciting match, Prince William and Princess Kate brought their kids to meet the players, and their post-game conversation with Jannik Sinner reveals one of their favorite hobbies.

In a video shared on X, Sinner chats with the Wales family after his win, with Princess Kate sharing that it was “really inspiring for the children” to watch “tennis at that level.” Sinner then asked Prince George if he plays tennis “every day,” with the 12-year-old responding, “Uh, not every day, but weekends.”

“You as well?” the Wimbledon champion asked Princess Charlotte, who responded with an enthusiastic “Yeah!” Prince William then turned and said something to his children, which made both George and Charlotte burst out laughing.

This isn’t the first time Prince George and Princess Charlotte have spoken about their love of tennis. Last year, the Wales children met British men's doubles champions Lloyd Glaspool and Julian Cash, who asked the kids if they played the sport.

After George and Charlotte said “yes,” Cash asked if they were “good” at tennis, prompting Prince George to look at Princess Kate and shrug, saying, “I'm all right.”

He’s likely more than “all right” at tennis, as William and Kate’s children take regular lessons at a private London club, and George has been playing the sport since he was just five. The family also has their own tennis court at both their new home, Forest Lodge, and their Norfolk country house, Anmer Hall—perfect for practicing their future Wimbledon serves.

Princess Charlotte is growing up, and so is her style. Prince William and Princess Kate’s 11-year-old daughter channeled her mother as she attended the Wimbledon men’s finals, debuting a custom Jenny Packham dress with sweet flutter sleeves. In previous years, Charlotte has shown off handmade friendship bracelets and a Pandora charm bracelet while cheering on her favorite players, but this year, she went for an updated version of the style.

Charlotte showed off a Ted Baker bracelet as she attended the final day of the tennis championships on July 12, trading her Lion King-adorned Pandora style for a goldtone design featuring dainty heart, flower, pearl and bow charms.

The $85 style is still available at Nordstrom, and while it's an adult bracelet, it's a piece of jewelry that works for any age, as Princess Charlotte proved on Sunday afternoon. The sweet symbols make this an appropriate tween accessory, but the design wouldn't look out of place on Princess Kate.

Charlotte often wore adorable smocked dresses similar to the Liberty print styles worn by Queen Elizabeth as a child, but over the past year, she's leaned into proper designer clothing. Along with her Jenny Packham Wimbledon dress, the 11-year-old wore a floaty ivory style by one of Princess Kate's favorite designers, Alessandra Rich, to Trooping the Colour last month.

As for her new bracelet, charms were also a favorite of Charlotte's late grandmother, Princess Diana. Jewelry expert Nilesh Rakholia, founder of Abelini, tells Marie Claire that Princess Diana's gold charm bracelet represented “a collection of meaningful symbols connected to her life, family and experiences.”

She rarely wore her gold bracelet in public, but it featured personal charms such as Prince William and Prince Harry's initials and an apple to represent her love of New York City.

Unlike Charlotte’s Pandora bracelet, which, like Diana's, has personal charms such as her May birthstone, an engraved heart and Nala from The Lion King, the preteen's Ted Baker style doesn't have the option to add on new designs. However, Rakholia says the style is “a beautiful example of how even small details can carry meaning.”

“The heart is one of the most recognizable symbols of love and family, while the flower represents growth, happiness and new beginnings,” he says of her charms. “The bow has a sense of connection and togetherness, often associated with gifts, celebrations and the bonds between people.”

Pearls, of course, have long been associated with the Royal Family, with Queen Elizabeth in particular known for her love of a pearl necklace and earrings. Rakholia notes that the faux pearl charm on Charlotte’s bracelet “adds a timeless quality, for pearls have long been linked with elegance, innocence and tradition.”

“For Charlotte, this bracelet may be a small, grown-up accessory, but it represents something much bigger: the idea that jewelry can tell a story,” Rakholia adds.

While Charlotte's bracelet is now sold out, shop similar options, below.

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Princess Charlotte followed in her mother’s style footsteps at the Wimbledon men’s finals on July 12, wearing a bespoke bright blue dress by one of Princess Kate’s favorite designers, Jenny Packham. But the 11-year-old also matched with mom in terms of one detail of her dress, with both Charlotte and Kate wearing romantic flutter-sleeve styles to the event.

The Princess of Wales went for green on the last day of Wimbledon, debuting a custom Emilia Wickstead dress with dramatic cape detail extending over one shoulder and a delicate flutter sleeve. It’s a style she’s numerous times over the years, including the bright yellow Dolce and Gabbana dress with flutter sleeves she wore to Wimbledon in 2018.

While Charlotte went for a similar sleeve, hers featured more of a butterfly style with a layered, puffier second row of ruffles on top, adding a sweet tween twist to the trend.

I’ve long been a proponent of a flutter sleeve, especially when it comes to wedding guest dresses when you want something a bit more interesting than a traditional cap or short-sleeved style. Plus, if you don’t want to bare your shoulders, a loose, floaty sleeve provides coverage and a fun element to your dress without feeling too hot or restrictive.

Below, find seven dresses that embrace Charlotte and Kate's style for all of your summer celebrations.

Prince William and Princess Kate have made it a tradition to bring their kids to Wimbledon every year, and on Sunday, July 12, Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined their parents for the men’s finals on an especially hot summer day. George, 12, and Charlotte, 11, tried their best to cool down with Queen Camilla-approved battery-operated fans as the temperatures reached close to 90 degrees, but with the royal box directly in the sun, it became necessary to make a quick escape.

Fortunately, Prince William jumped into “dad mode” as the Princess of Wales carried out her duties as the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC).

The Prince of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte took an extended break from the tennis action at one point during the men’s finals, according to influencer Laura-Ann Barr, whose seat faced the royal box. In a series of Instagram Stories, she pointed out that the “sun is just too much,” adding that organizers started handing out Wimbledon-branded sun hats in the royal box and Prince William had “taken the kids out for a break!”

With men and boys required to wear a jacket and tie in the royal box, it’s no wonder that the future King and his heir were especially uncomfortable in the heat. Princess Charlotte eventually returned to the box in a video shared by Barr on her Story, but then the Princess of Wales and her daughter left, with Barr writing that the duo likely headed off to find the others, who had been gone “30 to 45 minutes” at that point.

By the time the third set started, the royals were still missing in action, but Barr shared a video of the Wales family returning to their seats, noting it was “one hour later.”

Princess Charlotte followed in Queen Camilla's footsteps and was on double fan duty once she was settled in, pointing a white plastic fan at herself while also using a traditional paper fan. Meanwhile, Prince George held a battery-operated fan in front of his face during the match, and Princess Kate—wearing her old favorite L.K. Bennett sun hat—did the same.

Despite the uncomfortable temperatures, George and Charlotte appeared to be having a great time at the men's finals, laughing as they donned their Wimbledon hats and cheering for their mom as the Princess of Wales presented the trophy to Jannik Sinner.

Following several solo appearances at Wimbledon in 2026, Princess Kate was joined by husband Prince William and two of their kids—Princess Charlotte and Prince George—for the men's singles final on Sunday, July 12. Both George and Charlotte have attended the tennis tournament in the past, but that didn't preclude them from needing their dad to offer a "moment of reassurance," according to one royal expert.

The Daily Mail's royal editor, Rebecca English, shared footage of the Prince and Princess of Wales's arrival at Wimbledon on Instagram. In one clip, Prince William appears to take Prince George aside to check that he's okay.

"The Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived at @Wimbledon with Prince George and Princess Charlotte," English's caption explained. "A sweet moment of reassurance from dad too."

Additional photographs captured Prince William gently touching Prince George's arm, and placing his arm on Princess Charlotte's back. Clearly, the Prince of Wales is very protective of his family.

Prince George recently left Lambrook School—which he attended alongside siblings Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte. The future King will now attend Eton College, his dad's alma mater.

Royal experts have suggested that attending Eton will be an important step in Prince George's journey towards kingship.

Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith previously told People, "Eton was a much-needed haven for William." She continued, "It will give George a rigorous education that he will need for his role."

The Good Schools Guide editor, Melanie Sanderson, also told the outlet, "As parents, you do talk about your school days, and your kids can relate to that. I'm confident that [George] will be very well prepared."

And with Prince William's gentle reassurance, it seems as though George, Charlotte, and Louis will all be ready for their future roles.

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Despite being famous the world over, Princess Kate still seemingly enjoys flying under the radar whenever she can. Case in point: on Friday, July 10, the Princess of Wales made an unexpected trip to watch the ballet in London with two of her children.

In an X post shared on July 11, one royal fan revealed, "Last night, at the Royal Ballet, my neighbors were the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, as well as Prince George and Princess Charlotte."

A sneaky photo taken by the fan revealed that Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte were actually accompanied by Prince Louis—Prince George didn't appear to be in attendance, sadly.

According to the official schedule, Princess Kate and her children attended a performance carried out by ballet students. "The Royal Ballet School returns to Opera Holland Park with an inspiring celebration of 100 years of training at the foundation of British ballet," the program noted.

The royal children have already made multiple appearances throughout 2026, with Trooping the Colour throwing them into the royal spotlight in a big way. However, Kate's visit to the ballet alongside Charlotte and Louis appears to be a low-key outing without any fanfare. Instead, the trio seemed to be enjoying the performance, just like all other attendees. Although it's understandable that royal fans would be excited to spot Kate, Charlotte, and Louis at a public performance, hopefully they were allowed to enjoy the event uninterrupted.

After attending the ballet on July 10, Princess Kate made an appearance at Wimbledon on July 11 for the women's singles final, at which she presented the winner's trophy.

Princess Kate recently completed the National Three Peaks Challenge to raise funds and awareness for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. As well as sharing her own insights about taking part in the activity, the Princess of Wales shared photos of her three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—who greeted her wearing matching outfits.

The Princess of Wales underwent the physical challenge, which involved climbing three mountains in the space of 24 hours, alongside her brother James Middleton. Upon completion, Kate's husband, Prince William, their three children, and Kate's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, were all present to celebrate the victory.

Notably, Princess Charlotte and her two brothers all wore dark jeans with trendy sneakers for their mom's emotional return.

In some of the photos, it appears as though Princess Charlotte was overcome with emotion when reuniting with her mom. When the young princess seemed to burst into tears, Princess Kate gave her a huge hug.

Per the Princess of Wales's caption, "This time last week, completing the National Three Peaks Challenge. A huge thank you to everybody who has supported The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity."

When announcing her participation in the challenge, Kate wrote on social media, "Cancer doesn't just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone."

She also noted that she was taking part in the "National Three Peaks Challenge, not simply as a physical endeavor but as a chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back."

Royal fans can donate to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity online.

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Prince William and Princess Kate might not have received an invitation to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Madison Square Garden wedding, but the royals certainly still have a connection to the football family. During the Prince of Wales's unexpected appearance on the "New Heights" podcast, Jason Kelce revealed the funny dilemma he experienced when meeting young royals, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, at the Eras Tour.

Travis pointed out that, while meeting Prince William, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George, his brother Jason had no idea what to do with his open beer. Basically, the NFL star worried that drinking alcohol in front of the royal children might have broken some unknown royal protocol.

"Yeah, it wasn't a joke," Jason shared during William's "New Heights" episode. "It was real. Well, you want to be respectful and know the protocols."

As for what he'll never forget about meeting members of the Royal Family at Swift's Eras Tour, Jason explained, "Princess Charlotte was still the highlight for me. I had four daughters as well, so I mean, she was great."

Prince William was pretty impressed with the revelation that Jason was a dad to four daughters, saying, "Now, congratulations." The prince continued, "Having four daughters. I don't know how you do that."

Jason joked in response, "That is definitely a difficult task. The hardest job."

In spite of his concerns about abiding by royal protocol, Jason appears to have made quite an impact on Prince William, and vice versa.

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Princess Kate made a surprise appearance at the Wimbledon championships on Thursday, July 2, breaking her years-long streak of dresses and skirts with a linen trouser suit. The Princess of Wales chose a bright blue Gabriela Hearst blazer and coordinating linen trousers for her Wimbledon appearance, but what most fans probably didn’t notice was her embroidered friendship bracelet.

Swiftie Princess Charlotte has sported homemade braided and beaded designs over the past few years, with the bracelets then showing up on everyone from Prince William to King Charles. Kate’s blue and green embroidery floss style was hidden under her blazer sleeve, but was visible in multiple photos as she engaged with tennis fans at the event.

Kate's Charlotte-approved accessory comes ahead of Taylor Swift’s wedding weekend, with the pop star reported to be holding her rehearsal dinner on Thursday and wedding celebration on Friday, July 3 at Madison Square Garden.

Although Princess Charlotte didn’t join her mom for the tennis action this time, she’s likely to make an appearance at the men’s or women’s finals later this month. The 11-year-old princess has joined her parents at Wimbledon multiple times over the years, including the men’s singles finals in July 2025.

Along with her bracelet, the Princess of Wales accessorized with a pair of previously worn lapis and moonstone drop earrings by Carousel Jewels, wearing her hair in a bouncy ponytail to show off the gemstone style.

Prince William marked both his 44th birthday and Father’s Day on Sunday, June 21, with his celebrations coming after a busy week of royal events. The Prince of Wales attended Trooping the Colour and Royal Ascot alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla and Princess Kate, and to honor his birthday, shared a special photo of himself with Princess Charlotte on social media. Royal expert and former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said that for William, family coming first is a marked shift in how the monarchy operates.

King Charles grew up with his mother, Queen Elizabeth, as an example of duty above everything, and Prince William has been careful to prioritize time with his children first—even when the public questions why he doesn’t carry out as many royal engagements as the rest of his family.

“As we know, and in the face of some criticism, William has made the conscious and unabashed choice to put his children first whenever humanly possible,” Bond told the Mirror. “I’m sure his wife and kids love him all the more for that.”

“This is where he has drawn a distinct line between himself and his father,” Bond added. “Not that Charles was a bad parent, but he was often an absent parent because his work diary is always crammed.”

Although The King has prioritized family events in a way his mother likely wouldn't have—attending his nephew Peter Phillips's wedding on the same day as the Epsom Derby, for example—Prince William has been clear that he will always put Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis first.

Instead of staying for the full event, Prince and Princess of Wales left Royal Ascot early enough to be home for dinner with the kids—as I noticed when their car whizzed past me in the royal enclosure last Wednesday an hour before the last race was due to begin.

Bond said that it's also evident that William and Kate are a team in a way that Charles and Diana were not. “He and Catherine seem like equal partners in a relationship where, by dint of his birth, he could act as if they weren’t,” she noted. The royal expert continued that “perhaps William is more dependent on Catherine than the other way round.”

The Royal Family has found themselves incredibly busy recently, with high-profile events such as Trooping the Colour, Garter Day, and Royal Ascot taking place within days of each other. But on Sunday, June 21, Princess Kate and her children—Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince Louis—took some time out from their hectic schedules to pay tribute to the future King himself, Prince William.

The Prince and Princess of Wales's official Instagram account shared the special message honoring William on June 21, which marks both Father's Day and his 44th birthday. For the occasion, the royals shared a previously unseen photo of William posing with daughter Princess Charlotte, which was taken on the same day as Trooping the Colour by royal photographer Matt Porteous.

"Happy birthday and Father's Day to the best Papa in the World! We love you very much," the caption said. It was signed off simply with the initials of Princess Kate and their three children: "C, G, C & L."

As well as attending all of the aforementioned royal events this week, Prince William also paid a visit to carbon-negative farm the Apricot Centre in Totnes, Devon, to learn about their farming practices.

During the visit, he spoke to managing director Rachel Phillips about his three children—George, Charlotte, and Louis. "[William] was quite impressed with our strawberries and was telling me in Norfolk his children grow strawberries, raspberries, and lettuce and have a small kitchen garden," she explained, via Hello! magazine.

Phillips continued, "He was asking me how we grew them, and we talked about how we stop our children eating them all."

While Prince William jokes about his children's cheeky habits, it's clear that George, Charlotte, and Louis are very grateful for their father, who just so happens to be the heir apparent.

Prince William and Princess Kate seemingly have their work cut out for them raising three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The Prince and Princess of Wales recently moved into their "forever home," Forest Lodge, and they also have a country home, Anmer Hall in Norfolk. During a recent royal engagement, Prince William opened up about one particular thing he has to stop his children from doing at home.

On Thursday, June 18, Prince William made a solo visit to carbon-negative farm the Apricot Centre in Totnes, Devon, where he met with managing director Rachel Phillips.

Phillips said following the visit, "[William] was quite impressed with our strawberries and was telling me in Norfolk his children grow strawberries, raspberries, and lettuce and have a small kitchen garden," as reported by Hello! magazine.

Phillips continued, "He was asking me how we grew them, and we talked about how we stop our children eating them all."

Clearly, Prince William can't seem to stop George, Charlotte, and Louis from eating all of the fruit before it even makes it indoors.

According to its website, "The Apricot Centre grows biodynamic food which nurtures local people and communities. We offer regenerative farming support, consultancy for land-based businesses, and nature-based wellbeing therapies."

The Apricot Centre also hosts regular events and courses, and offers a range of fresh produce in its farm store.

As for whether or not Prince William will ever be successful in stopping George, Charlotte, and Louis from eating all of the fruit from the garden remains unclear. Still, at least the royal kids seem to have an appetite for healthy and fresh food.

Prince George will be turning 13 in July and heading off to boarding school in September, and with some big milestones ahead for the Wales family, one former butler is weighing in on how they might take a U-turn from previous royals.

Speaking to Select Car Leasing, Harrold—who served King Charles at Highgrove House from 2004 to 2011—says that learning to drive “is a huge thing for the royals as so many of their homes are in the middle of nowhere.” Even though George and his siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are years away from hitting the road, Harrold explains the process that goes behind young royals learning to drive—and why Princess Kate and Prince William could potentially switch things up.

He says that like any other member of the public, members of the Royal Family have to pass a driving test to get their license—except for the monarch. “They have to do the same theory and practical tests, and have to do all the revision and practice that comes with them,” Harrold shares.

Members of the Royal Family will use a private driving instructor, with Harrold noting, “The chosen instructor would have gone through security checks, but apart from that it’s not much different to how normal teens learn.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales have raised their children in a much different way than previous royals, and Harrold notes that they could choose to teach their kids in a more “hands-on” way.

“When it comes to teaching George, Charlotte and Louis how to drive, I wonder if Kate and William might take a more hands-on approach as they do with so much of their private lives,” he says.

Harrold adds he “could imagine Kate getting behind the wheel and teaching them herself when they’re old enough,” as the Princess of Wales is ”a very calm person” and “would make a great teacher.”

Circle back in 2030 when it's time for 17-year-old George to get behind the wheel.

Over the weekend, Princess Charlotte attended Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace alongside members of the Royal Family. The young princess matched her pearl bracelet to a similar item worn by her mom, Princess Kate, and accessorized her dress with an oversize white bow. According to a body language expert, Princess Charlotte's Trooping the Colour appearance was an important moment in her royal career.

Body language expert Judi James spoke to the Express about the young royal's latest outing, saying, "Charlotte is now officially the one who does all the heavy lifting in terms of sweetly stepping up into a star role at formal royal events like this."

James continued, "While Louis waved away happily and George grinned but rationed his waves, Charlotte leaned forward and turned to both sides to ensure every member of the waiting crowds got a wave of recognition from her."

Royal fans also took notice of Princess Charlotte's attendance at Trooping the Colour 2026, with many noting the royal's growing confidence.

"Princess Charlotte is out there being the main character," one X user wrote. Another person said of the princess, "Incredible aura at such a young age." One Royal Family fan labeled Charlotte as "pure class with such great elegance."

Someone else compared Charlotte to Princess Kate, writing, "She's like her mom...Confidence, maturity, and aura." Meanwhile, an additional commenter suggested, "She looks so much like Diana."

One royal fan even made a suggestion regarding the line of succession. "I wish Princess Charlotte would be next in line after William," they wrote on X. "She could run the world! They say she is the one who runs the household."

Basically, along with brothers Prince George and Prince Louis—who coordinated with mom Princess Kate at Trooping the Colour—Princess Charlotte is making quite the impression on royal fans.

Princess Charlotte's adoration of Jellycat's range of plushies and cute products such as bag charms and keychains is no secret. Even Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's daughter, Princess Lilibet, has shown love for the adorable brand. Now, King Charles appears to have taken notice of the growing Jellycat-inspired plushie trend.

Royal Family fans are able to shop a plethora of products in the Royal Collection Trust Shop, and in person at royal properties such as Buckingham Palace. The latest items to appear in the Royal Family's online store are a range of stuffed toys relating to regal afternoon teas.

One of the items is a "smiling teapot plush keyring," described as "a charming character inspired by our iconic Great Exhibition range and a playful addition to our Tea at the Palace collection."

Joining the teapot is a matching fluffy teacup, a cucumber sandwich plush keychain, and a strawberry cupcake keychain.

As emotional support accessories remain all the rage in 2026, it seems likely that King Charles's latest product release will be a big hit with royal fans.

Last year, Lilibet appeared on Meghan's Instagram account carrying Jellycat's Amuseable Rainbow Bag, which retails for $40.

Meanwhile, when Prince William was gifted two Jellycat toys for his kids—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—in May 2025, he replied (via the Daily Mail), "My children will love these...They are children's currency."

As King Charles is known to take style tips from his granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, by wearing friendship bracelets she's made for him, it seems entirely likely he drew inspiration from her stuffed toy collection for his latest Royal Collection Trust products.

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Trooping the Colour is always a regal and stylish affair. Case in point: Princess Kate arrived at the 2026 event wearing a Catherine Walker coat dress featuring a chic Princess Diana reference. As for Prince George, he made sure to match his tie to mom Kate's dress. But it was Princess Charlotte's sleek mommy-and-me accessory that actually stole the show.

Princess Charlotte has often followed in mom Princess Kate's sartorial footsteps. From wearing similar coat dresses to matching their hairstyles, Kate and Charlotte are truly in sync when it comes to fashion. And at Trooping the Colour 2026, Princess Charlotte opted to wear one of her mom's trendiest accessories.

Arriving alongside other members of the Royal Family, Princess Charlotte was seen wearing a white dress with a subtle blue floral design. She accessorized the outfit with a Jane Taylor London Small Fauna Organza Bow in White in her hair.

Both Princess Charlotte and Princess Kate are known for wearing on-trend ribbon bows at special events. For instance, at 2025's "Together at Christmas" carol concert, Princess Charlotte wore a stylish velvet bow in her hair. And at King Charles's annual pre-Christmas luncheon, both Charlotte and Kate wore velvet bows. While Kate opted for a large and floppy black velvet bow, Charlotte wore a smaller, bright red ribbon-style bow in her hair.

As always, Princess Kate has seemingly ensured that all of her children look stylish and comfortable for Trooping the Colour, while letting their individual personalities shine through. And when it comes to Charlotte's adorable bow, it's sure to start another trend amongst royal fans imminently.

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Prince William and Princess Kate are extremely dedicated parents, often shaping their work schedules around school pick ups and soccer games. When it comes to childhood, they want their children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—to have as normal a childhood as possible. While Princess Kate grew up in a normal, middle class suburb with picnics and at home birthday parties, Prince William grew up with the enormous pressure that he would one day be King.

That pressure of Prince William’s future must have only bred tension between him and his brother, Prince Harry. Famously known as ‘the heir and the spare,’ Prince Harry was clearly upset by the comparisons—so much so that he titled his memoir Spare, a sniping comment towards his role within the Royal Family. Global parenting expert Jo Frost, famously known as the Supernanny, suspects Prince William and Princess Kate will raise their children in a different way.

"I think William and Catherine understand the importance of nurturing the sibling relationships between the three of them,” Frost told Hello. Prince William and Princess Kate have already emphasized the importance of treating their children equally, doing as much as possible to give each child equal attention and importance when they are in public. “Dare I say it, in their family, it would never be the 'heir and spare'. It would be about the importance of all of them.”

"The understanding that it really takes a team, with the important roles in upholding the crown and the monarchy,” Frost said of the future of the British Royal Family. When Prince George is eventually King, he will want his brother and sister at his side carrying on as working members of the Royal Family. “We're seeing these very early seeds now, with respect to what it means to support each other and to nurture together."

Jo Frost believes that their home life is key to nurturing those relationships. "They have a lovely balance of that and behind closed doors, no doubt they're playing games and winding each other up as siblings do, teasing each other, having fun and baking cookies and being out in nature,” Frost said. This image of a happy, messy, normal home life was recently echoed by Katie Nicholl, who wrote “We can just imagine that Forest Lodge will be a home with muddy boots outside, dogs and kids running in and out of the garden, something lovely cooking on the stove.”

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis only make a few public appearances a year, but when they do, there’s one member of Prince William and Princess Kate’s family who keeps everyone in check. Princess Charlotte, 11, has been spotted correcting her brothers’ behavior on several occasions, and Supernanny star Jo Frost says the princess is a pro at reminding her siblings of the proper etiquette.

“Charlotte knows the rules. She's the one in the middle,” Frost told Hello! in a new interview. “She knows how to keep everyone in good stead.” During Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, Charlotte gently nudged Prince George when he put his hand up, and she appeared to tell Prince Louis to put his arms down as she repeatedly tapped him during Trooping the Colour 2024.

The childhood behavior expert noted that Princess Charlotte’s big brother might not love her corrections at times, even if he’s ultimately “grateful” for the help.

“There are moments when I've watched George and he's looked over at his sister, and he's probably annoyed with her one minute and then grateful that she's there being able to remind him of things, when he's taking it all in as well,” Frost said.

She added that when it comes to etiquette, the Wales children have been “raised with an understanding of royal procedures and protocols” as well as understanding “there's a time and a place” for certain behaviors.

Charlotte, in particular, seems to take after her mother when it comes to royal protocol, but Frost said that kids being kids at events is “relatable to any family.”

“For example, there's a wedding or a christening coming up and we know that it would be good manners and etiquette to be quiet while the choir is singing and the service is happening,” she said. “That, to me, is just responsible parenting, and we see that.”

Princess Kate and Prince William have seemingly built a close-knit family unit with their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. However, according to the Prince of Wales, there might be some tensions developing at home regarding one particular loyalty.

Prince William has made his devotion to Aston Villa soccer club clear, with the royal even declining a phone call while attending a recent match. But when it comes to his kids, Prince William doesn't necessarily have the full support of George, Charlotte, and Louis.

As reported by GB News, during his visit to Nansledan near Newquay, England on May 21, Prince William reportedly discussed Aston Villa's victory over Sport-Club Freiburg in Turkey the previous day.

While relaying his excitement over Aston Villa's win, the royal allegedly revealed that daughter Princess Charlotte has chosen not to support his favorite team. Instead, the young royal reportedly supports Chelsea Football Club, taking after mom Princess Kate.

Royal fans were quick to weigh in about the news on social media. "As a Chelsea fan, I am delighted by the news that Princess Charlotte is a Chelsea fan," one person wrote.

Someone else commented, "It's likely the Chelsea women's team she's a fan of." Another commenter noted, "He said he lets his children choose who they support and she supports Chelsea."

Despite being committed to Aston Villa, Prince William previously suggested he was happy for his three kids to support any team.

"I'm kind of hoping they'll all find their own teams in time," he told the Sun in March 2025. "They don't all have to be Villa fans."

The Prince of Wales continued, "I'm trying not to be biased but obviously they see how passionate I am about it and they watch the matches with me. I'm trying to spread the love a little bit."

Prince William and his kids showed they were certified Swifties after attending the Eras Tour in London, and in a new interview on the U.K.’s Heart Radio “Heart Breakfast” show, he insinuated that he might be heading to the celebrity wedding of the year.

When asked by co-hosts Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden if he had “got an invite” to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s upcoming nuptials, the Prince of Wales gave a cheeky “no comment” response that made the radio personalities gasp.

“I’m hoping and I’m sure there might be an invitation around, but we’ll see," Prince William added. He went on to dedicate a song to his daughter, with Thurston saying, “This is for Charlotte, we know she's listening in the car on the school run.”

The Prince of Wales said that Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were both big fans of Swift, but that Charlotte especially was “obsessed” with the pop star. “We went to see her on her Eras Tour and it was amazing,” he said.

“It was at Wembley, so we had a box, so we were watching from up there, which is quite a long way from the actual action’s happening, but the atmosphere was so incredible,” Prince William said. “You could actually feel the floors shaking when they were all dancing, so it was brilliant.”

Prince George also came along for the family’s big night out, but Princess Kate had to miss the concert while she was recovering from cancer treatment.

If there was one song he could listen to for the rest of his life, William said he couldn’t pick, but said he likes “dance songs” and “motivational” music. And as for the Princess of Wales’s favorite songs, William revealed that she’s a fan of Raye and requested her hit “Where Is My Husband.”

“Love a bit of Raye. Where's my husband?” the Prince of Wales said. “As my wife calls, keeps asking, ‘Where IS my husband?’”

Prince George is wrapping up his final year at Lambrook School this summer before heading to his next adventure, and during a rare interview, Prince William revealed that his eldest son, 12, has already got started on one aspect of boarding school life.

While speaking to Heart Radio hosts Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston, the Prince of Wales was asked to give a shout-out to his kids, who were getting ready for their school day. But in the process, he revealed that Prince George is already spending some nights away at school.

“Charlotte and Louis—because George is boarding last night—Charlotte and Louis, if you're listening, make sure you're on time, please, make sure you're not fighting over who listens to what, this morning,” he said.

Lambrook School, where all three Wales children attend, offers flexible boarding, meaning day students can choose to sleep over occasionally. It seems that George isn't the only one who sometimes chooses to stay overnight at school, with Prince William discussing their busy mornings on the radio show.

When asked if it was “chaotic” getting Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis out the door, the future King said, “It can be. It depends if there is a guitar lesson or a music lesson, you have to get the guitar in the car, no we aren’t taking the car, are we boarding are we not? Are we seeing friends or are we not? All of that going on in the morning.”

Prince William and Princess Kate will likely be announcing George's secondary school choice soon, as his last day of school at Lambrook is in early July. While the Prince of Wales's alma mater, Eton College, was widely assumed to be where George would attend, Oundle School in Northamptonshire is now considered to be in the running.

William and Kate were spotted bringing Charlotte for a tour of the boarding school earlier this month, with sources telling Marie Claire that they're considering enrolling all three children at the prep school.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are visiting Northern Ireland this week, and proud grandpa Charles is bringing home a tween-approved souvenir for Princess Charlotte. While visiting Belfast, The King met with small businesses who are supported by The King’s Trust, including jewelry business Empower Flower, who gave him a special something to bring home to 11-year-old Charlotte.

While speaking with business owners at the W5 Life (Learning Innovation for Everyone) program, King Charles met Empower Flower’s owner, Rachel Rose, who told him she’s “trying to encourage people to come off their phones and use their hands to create some magic,” per Hello!

She then gave The King a beaded handbag charm she made for Princess Charlotte, with the monarch replying, “Thank you, she will love that.”

In an exclusive interview with Hello! earlier this month, royal biographer Robert Jobson said that Charlotte “enjoys a close relationship” with her grandfather. “He totally adores her,” the author said. “She loves it when he reads to her in his funny voices.”

Charlotte, who calls King Charles “Grandpa Wales,” is expected to make her next appearance on Saturday, June 13, when she joins the Royal Family for The King's official birthday parade, Trooping the Colour. She's also joined Prince William and Princess Kate at the Wimbledon championships over the past few years, wearing handmade friendship bracelets that she seems to have shared with her grandpa, too.

With Prince William rumored to be heading to the United States for the World Cup, it's possible Charlotte and her siblings could tag along—and what better time to show off her new bag charm?

Princess Kate is currently in Reggio Emilia, Italy, where she is continuing her research into early years development. During the trip, the Princess of Wales has gotten her hands dirty, but also delighted royal fans with her outfits. Although this marks Princess Kate's first solo trip abroad since her cancer diagnosis, the royal is keeping reminders of home close to her heart with a unique bracelet.