Princess Charlotte Makes Small Slip At Coronation Concert (But Queen Camilla Didn't Mind)
At 8 years old, Princess Charlotte is growing up fast. The middle child of William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales, Charlotte made an impressive appearance at King Charles' coronation. Charlotte matched Kate at the coronation, both in her fashion and stately demeanor, and she wowed royal fans. The young princess helped out by holding Prince Louis' hand as the family entered Westminster Abbey. Charlotte also kept her little brother company during the service and talked quietly with him. "She's very tired after yesterday," Prince William commented as he greeted people asking about the young princess the next day in Windsor, per Hello! Magazine. The reason for Charlotte's exhaustion, he said, was ensuring that her younger brother was behaving at the coronation.
However, by the time the coronation concert rolled around, Charlotte was rested up and ready to enjoy the festivities. The princess melted hearts as fans observed her having fun during the show. Charlotte was excited to wave her union jack flag and sing along with Katy Perry's "Roar." She and her older brother, Prince George, were also enthralled by Muppet legends Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.
While it was a great evening for Charlotte overall, there were a few difficulties. The princess got frustrated when her father playfully waved his flag close to her face, and Charlotte needed Kate's help to tighten her concert wristband. In addition, before the show even got underway, Charlotte was seen making a minor mistake when greeting Queen Camilla.
Princess Charlotte missed curtsying to Queen Camilla
On May 7, King Charles and Queen Camilla walked by the Wales family on their way to their coronation concert seats. As Charles approached Catherine, Princess of Wales, she curtsied to the newly crowned monarch before dipping into an immediate second curtsy to Camilla. Princess Charlotte, who was next to her mother, also curtsied to her grandfather, but she missed the opportunity to curtsy to her step-grandmother. On her way out of the curtsy, Charlotte side-stepped and ended up looking in the king's direction, watching him as he passed. By the time she looked the other way, Camilla was right in front of her. The queen gently touched the girl on the shoulder and Charlotte beamed a smile. "Love the little squeeze The Queen gave Charlotte, there is so much love in those two families," tweeted a fan.
Until Camilla became queen consort in September 2022, royal females weren't required to greet her with a curtsy. Even now that she's been crowned, the royal family's website notes: "There are no obligatory codes of behavior when meeting the queen or a member of the royal family." This means Charlotte's missed curtsy wasn't a breach of protocol.
Small slip-ups aside, the young princess has proven her etiquette prowess time and again. When she was two, Charlotte was spotted curtsying in Poland during a royal tour. She also followed Kate's lead two years later, giving Queen Elizabeth a curtsy after she departed a Christmas day service.
Princess Charlotte may not have a close relationship with Queen Camilla
Much has been speculated about the dynamics between Queen Camilla and the rest of the royal family. Royal author Angela Levin wrote in her book, "Camilla: From Outcast to Queen Consort," that the new queen does not have a close relationship with the children of the Duke and Duchess of Wales. "William has made it clear that Camilla is the wife of his father, but not a step-grandmother to his children," Levin said (via InStyle).
While the two may not be very close, the small exchange between Princess Charlotte and Queen Camilla after the young royal's curtsey misstep shows that the two still have a relatively positive relationship. Instead of showing any sign of offense toward Princess Charlotte, the light pat and squeeze from Queen Camilla seemed to give the princess all the reassurance she needed. The eight-year-old may still be learning the ins and outs of royal etiquette, but at least she is surrounded by friendly faces along the way.