What Princess Charlotte's Future Royal Role Might Look Like—and How It Connects to Princess Diana

It’s a long way off, but subtle hints may be emerging.

The Gist

• Though Princess Charlotte is only 10 years old and a long way off from undertaking official royal duties with regularity, her July 27 outing to the UEFA Women’s Euro tournament could indicate where her royal future is headed.
• Charlotte watched England’s Lionesses win over Spain in a 3-1 victory alongside her dad, Prince William.
• It’s possible that, if and when Charlotte has patronages someday and undertakes royal engagements, they could very well involve sports—a true passion of hers.

When Princess Charlotte joined her father Prince William for the final of the UEFA Women’s Euro tournament—cheering on England’s Lionesses to a 3-1 victory—it could be a sign of the young princess’s future as a working royal someday.

On July 27, father and daughter had a sweet bonding moment as they took in a sport they both deeply enjoy, traveling together to Basel, Switzerland to watch England take on Spain. “William and Catherine know that there will be photographers at these events and crowds watching, and it’s a lot for a young person to take in, but Charlotte seems to be handling it all very well,” royal biographer Robert Jobson told Hello!.

“She is still very young, so it’s nice to see her enjoying herself with her father,” he continued. “She looks very happy and confident with him.”

After the match, Charlotte, 10, had a royal first: in a message of congratulations to the team, Charlotte’s name was used for the first time in official communications. “What a game!” read a message posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ social media accounts. “Lionesses, you are the champions of Europe, and we couldn’t be prouder of the whole team. Enjoy this moment England.” It was signed “W [indicating William] & Charlotte.”

Last month’s show of support wasn’t the first time that Charlotte has spoken publicly about her love of the team. In 2022, the princess joined her dad for a video message ahead of the Lionesses’ Euros final victory against Germany that year, telling the team, “Good luck! I hope you win. Bye!”

As far back as 2015—just two weeks after she was born—Charlotte was given a Lionesses jersey, and it seems she’s been a fan ever since. Back in 2022, William told the team that “Charlotte wanted me to tell you that she is really good at goal. She said, ‘Please tell them that.’ She’s a budding star for the future.”

In 2019, after Charlotte’s older brother Prince George told his sister that he was better at soccer, William intervened and said, “Charlotte could be as good as you.”

There’s no question that being a royal will someday be George’s full-time role; he was, after all, born to be king. But what about Charlotte? William and Kate are certainly keen to avoid “the heir and the spare” dynamic that plagued William and his younger brother Prince Harry, so much so that the Duke of Sussex named his 2023 memoir Spare. 

“There is no rush for Charlotte to take on a royal role, but there will be roles to fill in future,” Jobson said. “We know that she’s quite sporty and she likes her ballet, so I would have thought that she might eventually take on patronages relating to sports, like her parents, and dance, like her late grandmother Princess Diana.”

“The Wales family are sport-mad, and William and Catherine have clearly passed on their passion to their kids, so we’ve seen George and Charlotte popping up at major sporting events in a way we’ve not seen in previous generations of the royal family,” he added. “It shows support for the sportsmen and women, but also a genuine interest in events that so many other people care about. It’s a great way for them to connect.”

Charlotte’s role as a working royal is a long way off, but outings like the one on July 27 could indicate that William and Kate want all of their children to be the “chosen” ones—not just George. “In a royal family traditionally focused on the need to create an heir to the throne, and then a spare just in case something goes wrong, the Waleses want their children to have emotional security instead of giving special treatment to the chosen one,” royal commentator Richard Palmer said (via The Mirror).

Palmer said Charlotte “has inherited her mother’s poise and an inner strength and confidence,” and royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith said that Charlotte may well undertake duties on behalf of the Crown someday—she also suggesting that Charlotte’s future royal role may involve sports.

“I think this is an intelligent way to do it,” she said. “I would imagine Charlotte will be part of the picture. I’m not so sure about [Prince] Louis.”