How can the royal family avoid history repeating itself when it comes to Prince George, the heir, and Princess Charlotte, the ‘reserve’?
That’s the question Chron, Diary Editor, asked Richard Eden this week as he analyzes sibling relationships within the royal family.
In his Palace Confidential newsletter, Richard explained: “From what I hear, the Prince and Princess of Wales want seven-year-old Charlotte to grow up expecting her to get a job and not become a full-time queen.”
The young princess’ path would fit her grandfather, King Charles III’s, vision of a slimmed-down monarchy.
Richard Eden, editor of the Chron diary, explains how the Prince and Princess of Wales can wake up seven-year-old Princess Charlotte (pictured) with the expectation that she will get a job
Her father Prince William, 40, who will one day be king himself, also shares this ideal for the future.
Richard described how he can understand these views, but said he didn’t necessarily agree with the idea of a slimmed-down monarchy.
He explained: “Personally, I would prefer to see a larger Royal Family carrying out more official engagements and meeting more members of the public.
“If Charlotte is going to get a job and not be an active member of The Firm, she has to be willing to step in if the need arises.”
King Charles III and Prince William both share the vision of a slimmed down monarchy with fewer working royals
Richard asks if this future plan for the royals is to prevent history from repeating itself when it comes to Prince George (far left) the heir and Princess Charlotte (for right) the ‘surrogate’?
In his memoir, Spare Harry, who is two years younger than Prince William, explained how this notion of “heir” and “surrogate” was reinforced throughout his life
Richard’s comments come after the Duke of Sussex’s “despite, shameful memoir, Spare” in which he revealed years of tension between him and his brother, the heir.
The Duke of Sussex, 38, wrote in Spare that he had grown up knowing he was there to give his older brother, Prince William, 40, an organ donation should he need it.
“I was born in case anything happened to Willy,” he said, claiming his parents and grandparents even referred to him and his brother as “heir and surrogate” as a sort of “shorthand.”
He described his life as a “mission to provide a source of distraction, entertainment, and, in an emergency, a spare part” such as a kidney, blood transfusion, or bone marrow.
Harry, who is two years younger than Prince William, explained how this notion of “inheritance” and “inheritance” has been reinforced throughout his life.
He said that idea of being in the world, just in case something happened to William, was made “much clear” to him from an early age and “regularly reinforced” throughout his life.
Although Prince Harry was deeply critical of the royal family, The Firm and his upbringing, and always saw himself in his brother’s shadow as a surrogate for him, Richard argues there are lessons to be learned from the book.
He said: “The book stimulates deep reflection on how to avoid a repeat of the breakdown in relations between the royal heir and the ‘surrogate’.”
Before Prince Harry, Princess Margaret and Prince Andrew also struggled in different ways with the role of “savers,” or siblings, of the heir to the throne.