Happy Birthday, Charlotte! A Year In Review For Princess Charlotte
It has been a busy year for Princess Charlotte, daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton. As Inquisitr reported, Kate went into labor around 6 a.m. on May 2, 2015, and the little princess was born at 8:34 a.m., much to the delight of the contingent of adoring fans who had been camped outside of the hospital, as well as the world at large.
After a brief appearance on the steps of St. Mary’s hospital, Kate retired to Amner Hall, where she spent weeks with Prince William, George, and Charlotte, adjusting to life as a family of four. She made her first official appearance with Princess Charlotte via photograph, and was seen in person at the Trouping of the Color, to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s birthday. While Princess Charlotte, only six weeks old at the time, was absent, all eyes were on Prince George as he waved to admirers from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Princess Charlotte’s first portraits were released shortly after, in June, much to the delight of those fascinated by all things royal.
As reported by CNN, Charlotte was then christened in a small, intimate gathering at The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Sandringham, Norfolk. The ceremony was officiated by the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. He used the lily baptismal font. The font was brought from the Tower of London, and the water from the River Jordan. Traditionally, christenings are large affairs, but the Prince and the Duchess chose a different approach. Attendees included only grandparents, great-grandparents, and an aunt and uncle. Prince Harry was in Africa at the time of the christening. Prince William and Kate chose three of their closest friends and a cousin to serve as godparents. Princess Charlotte arrived at the christening in a vintage pram pushed by her mother, with her father and her older brother by her side. Prince George wore an outfit very similar to the one that her father, Prince William, wore to greet a newborn Prince Harry. Charlotte wore the royal christening gown, the same gown worn by Prince George at his christening just a few years before.
In November 2015, it was revealed that Princess Charlotte could sit up, as evidenced by a selection of photographs captured by the Duchess herself. In them, Princess Charlotte sat in a lovely gingham chair, smiling widely as she played with a stuffed dog.
Around Christmas of 2015, both Kate and Prince William spoke fondly of their children. Prince George was, not unsurprisingly for a toddler, spoken of as being a “bit naughty,” while Princess Charlotte was said to be “quite different” from her brother.
In March Prince William and the Duchess took Princess Charlotte and her brother on their first holiday, to the French Alps. As reported by Parents, the Duchess said it was the first time the royal siblings had experiences snow, and they enjoyed it thoroughly, laughing and playing. Most notably, photos revealed that Princess Charlotte was sporting two pearly white teeth.
In April Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge spent their first extended period of time away from both Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Kate said that she missed both of the children terribly, and they returned home with gifts for the young royals from the Prince and Princess of Bhutan. April also brought about a great deal of speculation about whether or not Princess Charlotte was walking, when her father spoke of her as an excellent footballer.
This week marked the first birthday for the young princess. Her mother released yet another series of phenomenally gorgeous photographs in honor of the event. As reported by the Inquisitr, Princess Charlotte has received gifts or letters from over 64 countries. The gifts included dresses, puzzles, stuffed animals, and books. Some of the more outstanding offerings were a set of Chinese silk figurines, a handmade coat from Bhutan, and a gold rattle encrusted with a variety of gemstones.
No matter what the next year holds, it is certain that thousands of people will be watching and waiting eagerly for any news on the young princess.
Happy Birthday, Princess Charlotte!
[Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images]
