8 Princess Charlotte Balcony Moments That Caused A Stir

Princess Charlotte is a born princess, both literally and figuratively. She came into this world in 2015 with a preordained noble title to her name. But with every passing year that she grows into her royal role, Charlotte proves she has what it takes to be a princess. Though she's only a child, Princess Charlotte's mastery over royal protocol and refined public conduct give the impression of a seasoned member of the firm. Some of the most standout moments of Princess Charlotte's stunning transformation have come about on the Buckingham Palace balcony — a place where royal and public lives have intersected for years to commemorate events of significance to the British monarchy. 

Charlotte first appeared on the balcony when she was only a year old and, over the years, has continued to delight royal audiences with her presence at the iconic location. But besides providing royal fans opportunities to know more about the princess, Charlotte's balcony visits also have a deeper meaning. Explaining the symbolism behind the royal balcony, monarchy professor Pauline MacLaren told the Independent, "This is the monarchy at their most visible. Time and again down the years, they have used appearances there — with considerable shrewdness, it has to be said — to emphasise and maintain their place at the heart of the nation." In Charlotte's case, the balcony has been a crucial point of her assimilation into the royal fold as a young princess who knows and conducts her public duties.

Princess Charlotte became a palace balcony darling right from her first appearance in the summer of 2016. Just over a year old then, the royal tot graced the Trooping the Colour event held annually to mark the birthday of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II at the time. Decked in a baby pink frock and a matching hair bow, Charlotte was brought out into the balcony in the arms of her mother Princess Catherine, amid cheers from a sea of crowds below. Perched where she was, Charlotte was likely getting a good view of the celebrations and could be seen scanning the panoramic scene with adorable curiosity. 

Charlotte made her balcony debut earlier than her brother Prince George — who only marked his attendance at the iconic location when he was nearly 2 — but it was clear from the get-go that she was a born pro. Though the event centered around her great-grandmother, Charlotte managed to steal the show. She waved to the public and maintained a fair degree of composure despite the hubbub, staying close to her mother who kept her entertained by pointing out things to her. The Independent reported that she was, at one point, compelled to cover her ears as military aircrafts flew overhead during the flypast — a gesture that would come to be identified as a signature of the Wales children, thanks to Prince Louis' viral impression of it some years later.

The internet loves when moms and daughters twin in matching outfits. So naturally, royal audiences were all heart eyes when Princess Charlotte attended Trooping the Colour in 2017, co-ordinating with Princess Catherine in a pretty pink dress. The mother-daughter duo entered the balcony together, Charlotte scooped up in Catherine's embrace and sweetly complementing her mother's grown-up candy pink outfit with her little floral dress. One would hardly have been able to tell that this was only the 2-year-old's second public appearance on the balcony, with how expertly she played along. From waving at helicopters flying overhead to pointing things out to her mom, Charlotte was easily discernible as one of the most excited attendees at the monarch's birthday celebrations.

Her brother Prince George was a ball of energy too, making sure to turn around at intervals and keep his little sister engaged. His enthusiasm was apparently infectious, because at one point, Charlotte could be seen squiggling in her mother's arms and pointing at the floor. Catherine soon put her down beside George, with both children proceeding to watch the show attentively. The episode was a classic example of Princess Catherine's unique parenting style, about which parenting expert Dr. Rebecca Chicot told OK! magazine, "She doesn't expect them to behave like little adults and knows that children go through perfectly natural stages like tantrums." She also indulged Charlotte's childlike wonder through the ceremony, chatting animatedly with her daughter every so often.

What's a childhood without a few bumps and bruises? But, unlike regular kids, royal children often don't have the privilege of falling and fussing without it making the headlines. Princess Charlotte was having a gala time at Trooping the Colour in 2018 — enjoying a front-row view of the celebrations from the palace balcony — when a minor wobble threw her off-balance and she fell before the whole world. Fortunately, Princess Catherine was right behind her and steadied her in time. The commotion caused everyone standing nearby to look — from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III, and even Meghan Markle, who craned her head. The clip of Charlotte slipping went viral on social media, with some viewers claiming that the young princess hit her head on the railing, per Harper's Bazaar. 

The 3-year-old stood back up again, with her mother and older cousin Savannah Phillips mumbling assurances to her. Charlotte, visibly upset and close to tears, turned to Catherine, who picked her up briefly and comforted her until she bounced back. Once the moment of distress passed, Catherine lowered her daughter back down onto the balcony, from where she enjoyed the remainder of the event. Charlotte was in top form throughout the parade that year, playing the part of a princess to perfection with well-timed smiles, waves, and claps. Royal fans were also delighted by Charlotte's lovely floral blue dress that matched with her mom's outfit.

With Prince Louis around, Trooping the Colour has been more entertaining than usual these last few years — and we're totally here for it! Prince Louis is notorious for his reputation for pulling faces and making mischief at the annual royal event, which sees the who's who of the royal family in attendance. While his cheeky antics have turned him into the palace balcony's newest star, there is also something to be said for his older sister Princess Charlotte, who has learned to maintain her composure amidst the chaos her sibling causes. 

She was visibly unfazed by Louis' shenanigans at the 2022 celebrations and stayed in character as the obedient older sister, even as the little one standing beside her unleashed some of his best hits onto the audience — from dramatically covering his ears during the flypast to flashing a multitude of bored expressions. Instead of indulging her younger brother, Charlotte seemed to be focused on getting in with the older crowd, which included Prince George and their father. That said, there was one moment during the parade when Louis went a little overboard with his non-stop waving in the carriage that — in classic Charlotte style — she reined her brother in.

Princess Charlotte never runs out of girl boss energy. As the middle child of the Wales troop, she exercises her authority over Prince George just as confidently as she does over Prince Louis. At the Platinum Jubilee in 2022, there was a moment where she saw her George slipping and immediately brought him to heel. Celebrations were wrapping up for Queen Elizabeth II's 70th year on the throne and the royal family was standing in obeisance for the national anthem, when, out of her peripheral, Charlotte spotted George moving his arm around. In a video shared on Facebook, she deftly nudged him and seemingly mumbled instructions for correcting his posture, which he promptly followed and stood up straight.

As the siblings closest in age, Charlotte and George share a friendly bond, but it doesn't obstruct her taskmaster tendencies from coming to the surface when the need arises. Her reputation is apparently quite popular among the royal family, with even the late queen herself attesting to it. Once during a public engagement in Norfolk, Elizabeth told some visitors that Charlotte "looked after" George. Though only 2 at the time, Charlotte has polished her confidence over the years and, according to experts, emerged as the de facto leader of the next-gen royals. Ex-royal correspondent Charles Rae remarked to The Sun that "with the three of them together, she is the one who rules that nest make no mistake about it."

King Charles III's coronation was more than just about his official crowning as the British sovereign. The significance of the momentous event extended to many other royal family members, who came into the spotlight that day in May 2023. One of them was Princess Charlotte, whose transformation from an adorable, mommy-hugging girl to a self-possessed young lady was stunning, to say the least. 

It grabbed attention across headlines, with commentators remarking just how gloriously the young princess was shaping up to be a mini version of her mother, Princess Catherine. This parallel was especially evident when the family greeted crowds from the palace balcony, with Princess Charlotte mirroring her mother in more ways than one. The two Wales women wore matching white Alexander McQueen dresses — though Catherine's outfit showed only partially from under her royal regalia — and similar flower motif headdresses.

Considering her visibly sobered down demeanor and the earnestness with which she waved frequently to the crowds below, the young princess was seemingly well apprised of the importance of the historic moment that heralded a new era of monarchy. Body language expert Judi James told the Mirror about another key moment at the coronation that reflected the young princess' metamorphosis, saying, "Charlotte's deep, perfect curtsey as the King walked past in the royal box was only one body language sign that she is becoming a stand-out star of the royal firm." 

Princess Charlotte made her annual appearance at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in 2023, wowing audiences with her impeccable turnout like every year. The then-8-year-old had established herself as the very image of royal poise, memorably disciplining both of her brothers at this very event in the past. In fact, body language expert Judi James even dubbed her the "royal prefect," per the Mirror. 

Amid the reputation she has built up, it can be easy to forget that Charlotte is only a child and still qualifies for adult guidance from time to time. Viewers saw it play out at the parade that year, with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, watching over the Wales children on the balcony as their parents partook in the festivities below. At one point in their conversation, Sophie appeared to give a pronounced response to Charlotte, leading many netizens to believe that she scolded the young princess.

As interpretations of Sophie and Charlotte's inaudible but viral dialogue dominated social media, another theory — this one about Charlotte's outfit for the event — floated in. Amaia Arrieta, the designer who dresses the royal children, told People that Charlotte's red-and-white sailor dress looked like a customized version of the outfit she wore to King Charles III's coronation. "The way the skirt moves is exactly the same, but it looks like the sleeves were changed and the collar and belt added." We love a royal fashion repetition! 

It's well-known by now that Prince Louis is always up for having fun; audiences count on it during his balcony appearances and he never disappoints. One of his latest viral moments came about when cameras caught him busting out some dance moves at Trooping the Colour 2024, timing them perfectly to the beats of the parade below. Princess Catherine, who stood behind her son, was all smiles as she watched him, but one person was less than impressed with his antics: big sis Princess Charlotte. 

In a video shared on X, Charlotte could be seen passing unamused words to Louis, supposedly to discipline him. According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, Charlotte said, "You have to stop doing that. Watch the parade" (via the Mirror). The 6-year-old, still dancing, appeared to hit back with a defiant "I won't." The ever-vigilant young princess apparently also schooled Louis on his posture during the national anthem.

This annual ceremony was momentous for Charlotte, who didn't just take on the responsibility of looking over her brother but also her mother, who marked her first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis. "There were strong hints that Charlotte is the child primarily protecting and supporting Kate at this event," Judi James told The Sun, noting Charlotte's poised body language that mimicked Catherine's and signs that suggested "Charlotte has stepped up to help take over some of her mum's public role."