The world has been watching the Royal family under a microscope and now there is a new generation to pass the torch to. Ever since Kate Middleton and Prince William got married, it was just a given that they would produce a Royal brood. After all, you always need an heir to the throne. Luckily, their firstborn was a son, so that gets the need for a male out of the way. The whole family seems to be living a charmed, lavish and privileged fairytale life while the rest of us watches from afar.
People just eat up these stories about Royal babies like candy. The world just simply can't get enough of them because they have stolen our hearts. Little do they know how famous they really are and that most little kids in their peer group aren't even remotely as lucky as they are. It will be interesting to see what kind of people they will become as they grow older. Just like William and Harry, George and Charlotte will forever grow up in the limelight whether they want to or not.
While we wait for the arrival of Royal baby #3, let's check out some facts about Prince George and Princess Charlotte that you didn't know about.
22 Prince George Is Currently Third In Line For The Throne (Though He Doesn't Know It)
It looks like Kate Middleton and Prince William want to keep young Prince George humble. They don't want to tell him that he is in line to be the King of England until he eventually figures it out at a later age.
Though the adorable tot is currently third in line to the throne, there are actually rumors that he might be second in line.
People recently reported a long-standing rumor that Prince Charles would be passed over as King to his eldest son, William. Then again, that is merely a rumor. In any case, it would not be good to have a boastful son on the playground saying how he will be King someday (kind of like Simba from The Lion King). Like most intelligent people, Kate and William already have called it before it happens.
21 Royal Tradition Says They Are Given 3 First Names
It is a Royal tradition that children receive 3 first names rather than just one first name and a middle name. You know, you always have to have back up in case the first few don't work out. Prince George's full name is George Alexander Louis and Princess Charlotte's full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, which is a nod to the late Princess Diana.
The alternative for Prince George's name was James but the Royal family decided against it when he was born back in 2013.
There has even been some speculation for the new baby's Royal name depending on if it's a boy or a girl. If it is a girl, some of the top contenders are Alice, Mary or Victoria. If it's a boy, it might be Albert, Arthur or Charles. Only the next few months will tell.
20 Kate And William Allow Them To Throw Tantrums
There will be many examples of Kate and William breaking Royal tradition, but once again here is one of them. It is almost like breaking tradition is becoming a tradition.
Unlike generations before them, they have decided to embrace authentic emotion and allow their children to wear their hearts on their sleeves.
The Royal family has encouraged their children prior that it is not wise to do so. These new parents firmly don't believe that they should grow up in a different environment. They both founded an organization in the UK called Heads Together to help focus on mental illness and removing the stigma for seeking treatment. This goes directly into their parenting skills as well as what they think is better for the greater good. Still, throwing tantrums has got to take its toll.
19 They Have Received More Gifts Than They Know What To Do With
One Royal tradition that will never fade away is the gift giving from fellow royals from around the world. From the time they were born, Prince George and Princess Charlotte were born to be great gift receivers.
On Prince George's first tour as a Royal, he received a whopping 706 gifts. Fun fact: that is more than 7 times the amount the Queen received during a Royal tour.
When Charlotte reached her first birthday, she received letters and gifts from over 64 different countries. These types of gifts usually ranged from stuffed animals, blankets, clothing, toys and books. Some of the more benevolent gifts were large donations to charity organizations. It has to be incredibly difficult to get a gift for people that have everything. They have more than what they will ever know what to do with. You have to imagine what their sweet sixteen parties will be like.
18 George Appeared On His First Stamp At The Age of 2
Britain has gone above and beyond to commemorate the lives of their Royals, even as they are young children. No matter how much humility your parents try to instill in you, that has to give you a complex in one way or another. Prince George appeared on his first stamp when he was only 2 years old. This picture was shot specifically alongside his father William, his grandfather Prince Charles and his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. In other words, the picture was in the order of the Royal succession.
The Queen with her 3 male heirs also commemorates her 90th birthday.
When both Prince George and Princess Charlotte were christened, Britain released a commemorative coin. If that doesn't give you a sense of superiority, then we can't think of what would.
17 The Meaning Behind The Name "Charlotte"
Charlotte sounds like such an elegant yet interesting choice for the second-born Royal daughter. Though her middle names, Elizabeth and Diana were obvious seeing as though they came before her, but there is some mystery to be uncovered about her first-first name.
Charlotte is the feminine form of Charles (as in her grandfather Prince Charles) and it is also Pippa Middleton's middle name as well.
Charlotte was also a popular name in Royal family history because George III married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1761, and their eldest daughter, also named Charlotte, was a designated Princess in 1789. Also, Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer named his youngest daughter Charlotte as well. In other words, it is still a common Royal name, so it can't be that unheard of.
16 Charlotte Is Not A Fussy Baby Like George Was
If you ask any parent of more than one kid, they will be able to point out stark differences in behavior. Even at tender young ages, children exhibit differences in personalities. Some infants like to cause a ruckus and some are just more mellow and don't really make a lot of noise. Unlike her older brother, Princess Charlotte is said to be sleeping through the night and is much easier on Kate and William.
When Prince George was an infant, he was known to wake everyone in his family up at all hours of the night with high-pitched wailing.
Perhaps there is just something about first-born children that makes them fussier. Second of third born children already know that there is commotion going on around them before they are even born.
15 George Is Known To Be A Little Naughty
Just like any other young boy his age, Prince George has a high energy level and is playful. Though we don't really know what he does that sometimes gets him into trouble, it is not uncommon to see him getting scolded by William or Kate out in public. It is said that George is just a bundle of energy.
Prince William even told BBC, "he's a little monkey."
That probably means he likes to climb all over things and he is one of those kids that you can't really pin down because he always wants to move around. Charlotte, on the other hand, is known to be more mellow compared to her older brother. Prince George will even stay up to listen to thunderstorms which must happen regularly given how often it rains in England.
14 He Wears Shorts, Even In Winter
Kids always have their weird quirks. As it turns out, Prince George's weird quirk is that he loves to wear shorts. He has a penchant for wearing them even during colder seasons. Who knows if he likes the way that they look or if he likes the way that they feel.
"It's a very English thing to dress a young boy in shorts," explains the etiquette expert, William Hanson to Vogue.
There's a very specific reason for this; there's a tradition among the upper class, aristocracy and Royals to dress young boys in shorts – it's often considered decidedly "suburban" not to do so. That is interesting and we wonder if Prince George will carry on this Royal tradition when he becomes of age to his children after him. Only time will tell.
13 He Started Talking Early And Is "Advanced" For His Age
Man, this kid is the new golden boy of the entire Royal family. He has a life of luxury, good genes, and he is reportedly remarkably intelligent for his age. Is it safe to say that Prince George will be a perfect catch or the most eligible bachelor in the world when he grows up? We think so.
According to many relatives, George is “a clever, articulate little boy and was speaking long before other toddlers his age.”
Australian pediatricians have analyzed pictures and video footage from the recent Royal tour and declared that Prince George is an ‘advanced baby’ with excellent skills. He started walking and talking before the average age of a toddler, so we will see what more is to become of his development.
12 George And Charlotte Have Made Children's Clothing Lines Sell Out
From the moment both Prince George and Princess Charlotte were born, people have been paying close attention to their fashion choices. Or more specifically, Kate's fashion choices for them. Once their styles are known, fashion brands big and small clamor to copy it and then sell it ASAP. Retailers will sell these new baby outfits like hotcakes and they just can't wait to cash in.
Within the first 4 hours of Prince George leaving the hospital, he was the cause of the website, Aden + Anais.
People just wanted to have the same white swaddling cloth that was used for him. Within 9 days, the retailer sold over 7,000 of them.
Moreover, when she was barely a week old, Princess Charlotte's baby bonnet was making headlines. There is even a website dedicated to Princess Charlotte's style.
11 The Birth Of Royal Babies Boosts Britain's Economy
Surprisingly and unsurprisingly, the birth of a Royal baby makes people want to run around and buy stuff. Nothing boosts the British economy more than the addition of a new Royal.
According to Baby Gaga, there were an estimated 247 million pounds generated in retail sales when Prince George was born.
Not only did the baby clothes sales skyrocket, but people wanted to buy souvenirs and other baby gadgets. Since the second child never causes as much of a boost, they still cause a significant increase in sales. However, Princess Charlotte is estimated to cause an increase of 80 million pounds in sales. The fashion industry especially gets to see it rain with an influx of sales. Only these kids get to be a fashion icon before they are even born.
10 They Have No Last Name
Royals are not supposed to have surnames. The closest they ever get to having a surname is that they are given an area of the country to "rule over". For example, Prince William is the Duke of Cambridge. New Royal babies have the title HRH Prince or Princess and are referred to this way in perpetuity (forever). Though that is Royal tradition, George and Charlotte still need "surnames" if they are to register as students.
When Prince George started school, the three choices available for him to take were technically Mountbatten-Windsor, Wales or Cambridge.
This sort of makes sense, from a practical point of view. If you are given 3 first names, what is the point of having a last name, really? This is what makes Royals different from the rest of us mortals.
9 Their Baptisms Were Private Affairs
Much unlike many of the traditions that the Royal family does, christenings (or baptisms) of the Royal children are held in more intimate settings.
Royal babies usually can only be christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury and can only be attended by family, godparents and close friends.
Later, a photograph of the new baby in its christening robe is released to the media after it is complete. This is special for the Royals because the christening gown worn by Prince George and Princess Charlotte is a replica of the lace and satin Victorian gown made for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter in 1841 and then worn by 62 babies throughout 163 years of history. We're glad it was a replica because that is just too many times to hand something down.
8 Their Births Were Announced On An Easel At Buckingham Palace
Some old traditions dating back to medieval times will never change the sense of nostalgia that it gives. The moment a Royal baby is born, the entire country goes bananas. Cannons are shot up from the Tower Bridge in London as a gun salute so that no one can ever not pay attention to what is going on.
It is also custom for Royal births and deaths to be attached to the railings of Buckingham Palace.
Before any of that happens, the Queen, members of the Royal family and the Middleton family are told first. Then, the bulletin is hurried from the hospital under the police escort. Royal births are certainly not a private event, they are to be shared with the public. That is one thing that would probably be less appealing to Kate Middleton.
7 They Each Get 6 Godparents For Extra Religious Guidance
Having more than 2 godparents is the Royal tradition for providing the children with extra religious (or moral) guidance. After all, it takes a village to raise a child, so this makes sense from that standpoint. For the British Royal family, the more godparents a child has, the better. This is definitely not Michael Corleone that we are talking about here. It is a tradition for them each to be assigned a total of 6 godparents.
For William and Kate, they followed tradition and even stepped it up more with Prince George. He has a total of 7 godparents.
You have to wonder who is the 7th wheel in that equation. They stepped back a bit with Princess Charlotte and only gave her 5 godparents. Each individual is carefully screened as a trusted family member, mentor, and longtime friend.
6 William And Kate Broke Royal Tradition When It Came To Education
In the Royal family, it has been tradition to either send your child to a private homeschool or a make them attend a same-gender school. First Princess Diana broke that Royal code, and then Kate Middleton followed in that path.
William and Kate shocked a lot of people by sending George to a mixed gender Montessori school.
After all, it is better that he learns to start talking to the ladies now being a Prince and all. All jokes aside, the focus of the Montessori education is to focus on the "whole child." In other words, it allows them to guide their own education while developing the love of learning and building confidence. William and Kate firmly believe that this is the best way to approach education when it comes to raising their kids. Compassion will be important if George is to be the future King.
5 Kate Limits The Use Of Nannies
Yet again, this a classic case of Kate pushing the limits and giving a modern face to Royal traditions. She has supposedly taken a lot of heat from the Queen along with William for their "questionable" parenting choices (at least in her eyes).
In the past, Royal mothers typically took the hands-off approach and didn't take direct responsibility for their children.
Again, this is another tradition Diana also broke because she wanted to be more involved with William and Harry's lives. In fact, it is considered "unroyal" to stoop to a child's level in public, but clearly, Kate disagrees with that. She is also known to take the kids out for 1 on 1 errands that she has to run. When they have to go somewhere, the kids go with them. Although they hired one nanny, they themselves set the tone for discipline.
4 Kate Broke Royal Breastfeeding Code With George And Charlotte
Breastfeeding has been the new accepted norm for a while, but the Royal family has looked down on it for generations.
Dating back to medieval times, it was the job of the wet nurses to breastfeed the Royal children, not their actual noble-born mother.
In other words, they had to hire a team of lactating women to breastfeed their child. It looks like Prince George and Princess Charlotte are the first few to defy that dated tradition. Historically, many Royal mothers found breastfeeding to be distasteful and refused to do it themselves. Again, this is another Royal tradition that Princess Diana started by breaking. The more hands-on motherly approach and "breast is best" mantra seems to be something more Royals are embracing.
3 They Are Not Being Raised In London's Palaces (Anmer Hall)
Unlike what you have seen on the TV screen, Prince George and Princess Charlotte are actually being raised far outside Buckingham Palace walls. In fact, William and Kate have decided to raise their children in their Norfolk home on Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham Estate.
This has lots of space so that Prince William can focus on his flying career. Also, it is much quieter than London's busy streets away from all the hustle and bustle.
The ten-bedroom country house was initially bought by Queen Victoria in 1862 as a wedding present for Edward VII, and the Queen decided to gift the estate to Kate and William for their wedding in 2011 as well. The estate is about 12 miles northeast of Kings Lynn and two miles east of the Queen's residence at Sandringham and includes a swimming pool and a private tennis court.
2 George And Charlotte Are Both Learning Spanish Fluently
It is true that Prince George and Princess Charlotte will hablan español from a very young age. This is because their nanny, Miss Borrallo, is from Spain. Nannying has been her life and she has the chops to prove it.
She attended Norland College, a world-renowned nanny school after getting her teaching degree.
It is an added bonus that she will teach them a second language which will help them tremendously in the future. She was hired at a time when William and Kate realized that they needed some full-time help with the kids while they were traveling. She even cooks them Spanish foods like paella, gazpacho, and empanadas. They will look back at fond memories and their ability to speak a different language when it comes to Miss Borrallo.
1 They Are Already Experienced Globe Trotters
Leaving the Royal babies at home with their team of nannies to look after them while their parents traveled around the globe is clearly a thing of the past. It was a common belief that the Royals would do better minding their everyday routine with similar surroundings. That is not the case for George and Charlotte. Even for how young they are now, they have probably traveled to more countries than you have in your entire life. William and Kate have made a point to take them along on every journey with at least one nanny to help them.
So far, they have visited Scotland, Canada, Australia, France and New Zealand.
There will be many more for them to come in the future. However, there are rumors that the Queen doesn't necessarily approve of them tagging along. Some even say that she goes so far as to bar them from going against their parent's will.
Sources: People, Baby Gaga, Strawberry Tours, Mother and Baby UK, Vogue, Vanity Fair
