Prince George celebrates his 13th birthday today, and is set to start at Eton College in weeks. Body language expert Judi James has highlighted the role his younger sister, Princess Charlotte, plays in keeping the future monarch “in line”.
Charlotte's influence on her brothers
James shared her insights on a Channel 5 documentary called Prince George at 13: The Next Generation. Despite being younger than George, the 11-year-old Charlotte plays a pivotal role among the three siblings, as demonstrated in subtle gestures over the years.
“We do see Charlotte keeping an eye on both of her brothers. What I found really fascinating isn’t so much that she is doing that, but for me, it is the way that when she does nudge them and tap them, they both fall into line,” James said.
“Children of that age, normally if a younger sibling says ‘put your arms down,’ [they’ll reply] ‘who do you think you are?’ But they absolutely take it and I think that’s going to be very important when it comes to the dynamic because they will see that as a form of support.”
Comparison to King Charles and Princess Anne
James compared the relationship between George and Charlotte to that of King Charles and Princess Anne. She said Anne was the more confident sibling and believes this also rings true for Charlotte.
“She seems to absolutely get protocol. She knows what needs to be done,” James added. “I don’t think either of them [George or Louis] have got hugely strong attention spans, they will be watching the planes or talking about something. So I think that helps them relax a little bit because they know that if they are doing anything wrong, they have got their sister there, who is usually in the middle of them. So in a way, I think it’s probably she goes out being the keeper of the choreography so they don’t have to, but at the same time, they know that if they do anything wrong, she will be there to correct them.”
Education and future plans
Charlotte and Louis, eight, both attend Lambrook, a private preparatory school in Berkshire, where George had his final day earlier this month. George will go to Eton in September, like his father did, with the choice to select from 28 subjects, including nine modern and classical languages. William is said to be “thrilled” that George is attending Eton, but for now focus is on his birthday celebrations.
Prince George at 13: The Next Generation will air on Channel 5 on Saturday July 25 from 9pm.
