The Transformation Of Princess Charlotte From Toddler To Young Royal

It seems like only yesterday that Princess Charlotte was introduced to the world. Mere hours after her birth, Charlotte made her first public appearance on the steps of the Lindo Wing of London's St. Mary's Hospital in 2015. That adorable little tot is now a young royal preparing for a life of service, including adhering to some strict rules that royal children have to follow. But if her transformation over the years is anything to go by, Charlotte is going to be far from a subservient princess.

Historically, the royal family hasn't exactly been egalitarian when it comes to the sexes. But Charlotte captures the spirit of a new breed of royal girls, who refuse to let their vibrant personalities be stifled. Accordingly, Charlotte's ebullient persona has really shined over the years. "She's definitely the biggest character of the three children at the moment," a source told Us Weekly in 2018. "She'll come up to guests and ask them if they want tea or coffee or offer them sweets — so adorable!"

She may be a kid, but Charlotte has undergone some major changes throughout the years. Let's take a look at the transformation of Princess Charlotte from toddler to young royal.

Princess Charlotte was born on May 2nd 2015, the second child of Princess Catherine and Prince William. A year into her tenure as a royal, the toddler was already being praised as a mini fashion icon. In 2016, the youngster appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for her first ever Trooping the Colour and looked like a cherub come to life in a white dress and pink Mary Janes.

Much like how her mom is widely regarded as a style icon whose clothes sell out in minutes of her donning them (a phenomenon dubbed the "Kate effect"), Charlotte, too, was finding herself something of a royal influencer, with parents scrambling to buy her clothing for their own toddlers. For instance, the aforementioned pink shoes, which were by Leicestershire shoemakers Early Days, saw a huge surge in demand after the princess was snapped wearing them. 

Since Charlotte had such a classic look as a baby, bearing the sort of countenance one might find in childhood portraits of aristocrats in British art galleries, it was fitting that her mom chose to dress her in vintage-style outfits. "For children's wear, she is definitely into retro looking outfits which is adorable for toddlers and is becoming a real fashion trend thanks to her," said maternity designer Cecile Reinaud (via Forbes).

By 2017, Princess Charlotte, then aged 2, was growing up fast. The toddler was able to walk on her own and her fine baby hair had grown into an adorable bob. But the terrible twos were also in full force. That year, Charlotte went on a trip to Hamburg with her parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and her big brother, Prince George, when things went awry due to the toddler's unexpected strop. As the family approached their plane, Charlotte had a tantrum on the tarmac and flopped to the ground, seemingly refusing to board the aircraft. Thankfully, the strop didn't last long as mom Princess Catherine was able to mediate the situation, scooping her daughter up and comforting her.

There have been many Princess Charlotte moments that melted our hearts, and even this temper tantrum endeared the public toward her. Ultimately, the tiny tot proved that she's just like any other kid. Moreover, one can hardly blame the 2-year-old for being exhausted by international travel.

The year was 2018. Princess Charlotte had turned 3 and her aunt and uncle, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, were still working royals whose upcoming nuptials was the event of the year. Donning a floral crown and a white dress custom made by Givenchy's Clare Waight Keller, Charlotte was a flower girl at the highly publicized ceremony and looked like a little Pre-Raphaelite cherub. She was, however, a cheeky cherub, famously sticking her tongue out at photographers as she left the ceremony.

Unfortunately, her flower girl stint is now synonymous with Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle's feud. The pair allegedly had a pre-wedding argument over Charlotte's flower girl dress. In 2021, sources told The Telegraph that Catherine thought her daughter's dress was too big and a row erupted over alterations, leaving Catherine upset. "Demands were made about when subsequent fittings would be, and Kate left sobbing," an insider claimed. Charlotte was also allegedly upset over her dress being too big, and apparently burst into tears when she tried it on. However, in their 2021 sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, Harry and Meghan claimed that it was in fact Catherine who made Meghan cry. "It was a really hard week of the wedding and she was upset about something, but she owned it and she apologized," Meghan said. Harry also reiterated his wife's claims in his memoir, "Spare."

From a young age, Princess Charlotte developed an affinity for soccer. In July 2019, the princess, then aged 4, showed off her sporty side when she was seen playing soccer with her brother, Prince George, at the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day. Sweetly, she wore a ditsy floral dress and sandals as she played the sport, proving that girly girls can embrace the joys of athletic pursuits as much as their male counterparts.

Later that year, Prince William opened up about his daughter's love of soccer during an event at Kensington Palace. Chatting with 14-year-old Olivia Hancock, who won a Diana Award for her efforts encouraging girls to play the sport, William discussed the important feminist message he was teaching his kids. "So when I was chatting with Prince William he said to me, when he plays football with George and Charlotte, when Charlotte's in goal George says to her that 'Charlotte I'm better than you,'" Hancock told Hello!, noting that William replied, "'George, Charlotte could be as good as you' ... It's great to hear that Prince William is saying that to George."

William has since said that he believes Charlotte is a future soccer star. Synonymous with the British working class, soccer isn't a sport typically adopted by female royals, with equestrianism being a favored pursuit among royal women. As such, Charlotte is proving herself a little royal trailblazer.

As the daughter of Princess Catherine and Prince William, Princess Charlotte has proven herself a master of royal rules. However, she hasn't let protocol stop her from having a bit of fun with the public. In August 2019, Charlotte appeared at The King's Cup Regatta and had changed significantly since her doll-like appearance at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding the previous summer. She had grown her hair long and was looking more like her father, Prince William, with each public appearance.

Though she's generally well-behaved, there have been several times Princess Charlotte got caught showing off her sassy side in public, and once again, the little princess went viral for her cheeky display in the stands. She stuck her tongue out at photographers, which at this point seemed to be her modus operandi when being snapped without permission.

The following month, Charlotte started school and her classmates became keenly aware of her feisty side, dubbing her "Warrior Princess." "Apparently she earned that nickname because obviously she is a princess but she is quite a tomboy," royal expert Katie Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight. "She loves climbing trees and she's very much an adventurer." But in this instance, we can't blame the youngster for being miffed at having cameras in her face 24/7, with Charlotte proudly exhibiting her sassy, take-no-prisoners persona from a young age.

Over the years, Princess Charlotte has had some truly adorable moments when meeting the public. So, when the U.K. was locked down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to give back to the public. Like so many kids, Charlotte had a lockdown birthday, turning 5 in May of 2020. She celebrated her birthday weekend by delivering meals to vulnerable people near the Sandringham Estate. Looking self-assured in her charitable pursuits and carrying herself in a mature manner beyond her years, the princess was seen helping unload boxes of groceries out of a truck. Adhering to social distancing, she dropped the care packages outside people's homes and left before the residents came to the door.

The philanthropic endeavor, which was part of the Sandringham Estate's volunteering program, enabled Charlotte to keep busy during the pandemic, something which her parents had been encouraging in lieu of traditional birthday celebrations. "Charlotte is at the age when she wants a party with her friends and she has been told she will have a party once the lock down is over," a family friend told Vanity Fair. "Tomorrow will probably entail presents and a cake. They are really enjoying this time together as a family ... There has been lots of painting, baking, gardening and outdoor play."

It's hard to believe how much time has passed since Princess Charlotte first charmed the public as a wide-eyed, curious toddler. A far cry from that tiny tot being cradled by her mom, the princess underwent a major transformation when she turned 6 in 2021. To mark her daughter's special day, Princess Catherine took a portrait of the birthday girl, which was shared on the royal family's X account. Gone was her cherubic round face and shoulder-length hair; as she got older, Charlotte's sharp features began resembling those of her mom, though her hair, which had grown long and thick, was the same golden color as Prince William's mane when he was a young boy. Charlotte's penchant for cutesy floral prints remained, however. 

This time around, lockdown restrictions had been eased in the U.K. and Charlotte was able to enjoy her birthday celebrations. For dad Prince William, the occasion was a reminder of how quickly kids grow up. "She had a lovely day, thank you," William told HR exec Jenna Jackson (via Hello!) while visiting Babcock Vehicle Engineering firm a couple of days after his daughter's birthday. "Last year it was her birthday in lockdown but this year we were able to have one other family over. They grow up very fast. It was great fun."

Princess Charlotte's looks may be ever evolving, but her status as a consummate style icon is unwavering. In August 2022, the then 7-year-old appeared at the Commonwealth Games and showcased an entirely new look, wearing her hair in braids and donning a striped Peter Pan collar dress. She looked adorable in the Parisian-style ensemble, and royal fans clearly agreed. As with many of her earlier outfits, the dress, which retailed for just £39 (around $49) from British brand Rachel Riley, sold out in less than 24 hours. Clearly, the "Charlotte effect" was showing no sign of waning as the princess grew up. Due to high demand, the retailer assured eager customers that it would be restocking the Breton dress soon.

Chatting to Hello!, Riley said she was delighted that Charlotte's sartorial choice had led to greater exposure for her small brand. "It was such a treat to see! It was a delightful surprise, I wasn't expecting it at all and was gardening at the time!" she enthused. "I became aware of the picture when my friends and family started sending me messages asking if the dress was one of ours!"

Typically, the public isn't used to seeing royals chillaxing at high-profile events. But as she's demonstrated time and time again, Princess Charlotte is not afraid to let her hair down without a care in the world. In 2023, Charlotte, then aged 8, made her Wimbledon debut and had grown considerably since the previous summer. In a moment of undeniable swag, she sat back at the tennis tournament and exuded cool girl chic in a pair of pink shades. Royal fans were delighted by the stylish look, with some declaring her a fashion icon much like her mom.

Finally being able to attend Wimbledon was a big deal for sporty Charlotte. "It's Charlotte's first time, George came last year," Princess Catherine said at the event, per the Daily Mail. "They've been eagerly watching. Charlotte, you've been getting to grips with the scoring. Louis was very upset he wasn't coming today."

Charlotte's chic moment came a few weeks before she was hailed the richest royal grandchild and the richest child in the world. Worth a whopping £3.6 billion (around $4.5 billion), her ranking is partly due to her influence on the fashion world. "She still edges out her older brother Prince George, apparently due to the 'Kate Middleton effect', where the fashion choices of the Royal Family can have a huge impact on fashion trends," said researchers at Electric Ride on Cars, per Express.

Queen Elizabeth II grew up in the public eye and was famed for her enigmatic countenance from a young age. Much like her great-grandmother, Princess Charlotte has also come to possess a charismatic gaze. This has steadily become more apparent as Charlotte gets older. In 2023, the princess joined her family for the Christmas service at Sandringham. She looked noticeably mature and sophisticated; her girly-girl ensembles were replaced by a smart tailored green coat, black tights, and pumps. It was very much an outfit in the mold of her chic mom, Princess Catherine. 

But it wasn't Catherine whom Charlotte resembled; she was the spitting image of Elizabeth. Onlookers who met the young princess agreed. "She was so polite and confident," local Daniel Campbell told Hello! "It was like she was made for this role. Everybody was saying how much she looks like the late Queen and how elegant and professional she is, like her mum. She had perfect manners."

Charlotte also went viral yet again, when a sweet moment between the princess and her cousin, Mia Tindall, was captured outside the church and uploaded to TikTok. A fan offered Charlotte a bouquet of flowers, but she appeared to tell Tindall that she could have them instead. The sweet gesture was a far cry from the cheeky Charlotte of yore, with the tween maturing into a gracious little lady.

As a royal, there are many things Princess Charlotte will never be able to do. But while she's obliged to adhere to duty, she can still have fun like any other tween. In 2024, Charlotte and Prince George celebrated their dad, Prince William's, birthday by attending Taylor Swift's Eras tour in London. When Swift took a sweet selfie with the royals, fans got to see Charlotte like they never had before. Wearing her hair in boho braids and donning a quintessentially Eras sequinned dress, the 9-year-old's Swiftie vibes were immaculate. Princess Catherine had previously lamented she struggled with braiding her daughter's locks, so it's unclear who styled Charlotte's hair for the night.

Charlotte and George, who had been having a hard time due to mom Catherine's cancer diagnosis, looked genuinely elated to meet the Grammy-winning superstar, both beaming from ear to ear. Swift's beau, Travis Kelce, was also pleased to meet Charlotte. "Prince William was fantastic, but the highlight was Princess Charlotte ... She had fire to her, she was asking questions," his brother, Jason Kelce, said on the "New Heights" podcast, to which Travis agreed. "It was, uh, that was the most electric part."

Seeing Charlotte in her Swiftie era was delightful, though she's in competition with her dad as to who's the biggest Tay stan. "I'm not sure that Princess Charlotte is the biggest Swiftie of the family or whether it's actually Prince William," royal expert Katie Nicholl dished to Entertainment Tonight.