All About Princess Charlotte, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Only Daughter

THE RUNDOWN

• Princess Charlotte is the only daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton. She is third in line to the throne.
• She’s known for her confident personality, love of sports and dance, and close bond with her siblings.
• Charlotte has made standout appearances at high-profile events including Trooping the Colour, Wimbledon, King Charles’s coronation, and more.

Princess Charlotte is the only daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and third in line to the throne. She became the first royal girl in British history to retain her place in the line of succession after the birth of a younger brother.

Now 10 years old, the young royal is known for her confidence, poise, and playful personality. She shares a close bond with her brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis, and often appears alongside her parents at public events.

Here’s everything to know about Charlotte.

Charlotte was born on May 2, 2015, at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. Kensington Palace confirmed the news, sharing, “Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.”

Later that day, the Prince and Princess of Wales introduced their daughter to the world from the hospital steps.

Charlotte’s full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, honoring both Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana. She was named Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge at birth.

The name “Charlotte” is also the feminine form of “Charles,” a nod to her grandfather, King Charles III.

Charlotte is affectionately called “Lottie” by her family. During a 2019 visitto Windsor Park stadium in Northern Ireland, Kate met Belfast blogger Laura-Ann and her young son, George. When Laura-Ann mentioned that her older son was four, Kate responded, “Oh, he’s the same age as Lottie,” revealing Charlotte’s nickname.

The young princess also refers to her father as “Papa,” as revealed in a Mother’s Day card she wrote to Princess Diana: “Dear Granny Diana, I am thinking of you on Mother’s Day. I love you very much. Papa is missing you. Lots of love, Charlotte.”

In November 2024, William was photographed wearing a blue beaded bracelet with the word “Papa” on it. The bracelet, reportedly made by Charlotte, signaled their close relationship.

Charlotte has been described by multiple sources and family members as confident, talkative, and self-assured. A source close to the royal household told Peoplein May 2025, “She is quite a strong character—almost wise beyond her years.”

“It’s truly her personality—it’s not forced,” childrenswear designer Amaia Arrieta added. “She looks very confident and at ease with herself and the environment she’s in. The maturity that comes with that responsibility—she seems to nail it every time.”

During a conversation with a fellow mother, Samantha Burge, in March 2017, Kate was described as saying, “Charlotte is growing up really fast. She is the one in charge,” according to Burge, who later spoke to reporters, per People. She added, “[Kate said] they are both becoming really good friends, George and Charlotte.”

A source told People in January 2018 that Charlotte is “so polite, but also fun and energetic,” adding, “She’s very sweet and very confident—she’s always chatting away.”

Travis Kelce shared his impression of meeting her with Taylor Swift at the 2024 Eras Tour in London, saying, “She was a superstar.” His brother Jason added, “She was so adorable. Like, I cannot.”

Charlotte has a wide range of hobbies. She plays several sports, including soccer, rugby, and gymnastics. She has also taken dance lessons. “My daughter Charlotte likes dancing, she loves ballet and tap,” Kate told a young fan named Emily during a 2023 appearance in Yorkshire.

For Charlotte’s 8th birthday in 2023, her mother took her to see Cinderella at the Royal Opera House.

During an appearance on the The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast in 2023, Kate also revealed that “Charlotte’s playing both the sports now,” referring to rugby and football, and added that “it’s really good to see youngsters, particularly girls, playing these types of sports now.”

While visiting Galway in 2020, Kate told tightrope performers: “Charlotte is really into gymnastics, she’s doing cartwheels, handstands, everything. It’s so good for their basic skills of balance and coordination.”

Charlotte also enjoys horseback riding and was gifted a horseshoe brooch by Queen Elizabeth II, which she wore to the monarch’s funeral.

Charlotte likes spending time in the kitchen, too. During a 2019 visit to Lavender Primary School, Kate told students, “Charlotte loves olives,” and explained that her kids frequently cook with her. Matthew Kleiner-Mann, CEO of the Ivy Learning Trust, recalled Kate “telling us how much her children love cooking and how they cook for her.” He added, “One stirs the flour, one puts the milk and butter in, and they make salads and stuff.”

Charlotte currently attends Lambrook School in Berkshire alongside her brothers. In a press release from Kensington Palace, the Prince and Princess of Wales said: “Their Royal Highnesses are hugely grateful to Thomas’s Battersea where George and Charlotte have had a happy start to their education since 2017 and 2019 respectively and are pleased to have found a school for all three of their children which shares a similar ethos and values.”

Charlotte has been part of royal life from a young age. She made her royal tour debut in 2016, joining her parents and brother on a weeklong visit to Canada at just 16 months old.

She has since appeared at major events including Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral, King Charles III’s coronation, Trooping the Colour, and more.

In July 2025, she joined Prince William at the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro Final in Switzerland. After the Lionesses’ win, William wrote on Instagram: “An incredible night for @lionesses and @england in Basel. Congratulations to Sarina, the team and all the support staff. Champions! 🏆”

She alsoreturned to Wimbledon in July 2025 alongside her parents and Prince George.

In May 2025, Charlotte joined George and Louis at the 80th anniversary of VE Day, seated in the front row alongside her parents.

On Dec. 5, 2025, Charlotte was seen with her parents and brother’s at the annual “Together At Christmas” Carol Service at Westminster Abbey. Charlotte wore a navy dress with a lace collar and had her hair half up with a matching ribbon.

In January 2026, Kate shared a little about her daughter’s extracurriculars while speaking with schoolgirls during a visit to Wakefield Trinity. She told the group that Charlotte “does loads of sport but not rugby.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales are very thoughtful about how Charlotte and her brothers are seen in public, generally at special events with the rest of the royal family. In March 2026, royal photographer Chris Jackson shared his perspective as the one who has witnessed and documented these special events in an interview with Page Six.

“You don’t see them very often, but when you do see them, it’s lovely to watch them kind of growing up,” Jackson shared. “I’m guessing they realize it’s not normal to be in these situations.”

He added of the kids, “It’s lovely to see them interacting together. Photographing them over the years has been really special.”

Charlotte turned 11 on May 2, and her family posted about her for her birthday, first with a sweet picture of the princess standing in a field of daisies.

Then with a montage of Charlotte playing with her dogs, on the beach, and a game of catch.

The Prince and Princess of Wales shared a photo on their official Instagram page to celebrate Father’s Day on June 21. The image showed Prince William and Charlotte, embracing in the outfits they both wore for the annual Trooping the Colour.

The caption of the behind-the-scenes image read, “Happy birthday and Father’s Day to the best Papa in the World! We love you very much. C, G, C & L 💕”