Prince William and Kate Middleton are trying to avoid another “Spare” situation with their children. With their second child, Princess Charlotte, the Prince and Princess of Wales are taking extra care of their daughter.
Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King, told People that William already has the extra foundation to support his family when he becomes King. The author revealed that he is “preparing to be King himself but to make the whole royal existence approachable and not scary for all his children.” The family wants to not end up in a situation where Charlotte feels like a “Spare,” a term that is given to the second child of the person who’s next in line for the throne.
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To avoid any of those negative feelings, William and Kate are raising Princess Charlotte to “strike a balance between private life and duty,” a source told the site. “Getting the family right is absolutely critical, particularly in terms of what the nation expects of them,” says a family friend.
Related: What Will Prince William’s Kids Royal Titles Be When He’s King? George, Charlotte & Louis’ Future Roles Revealed
Prince Harry wrote extensively about how he resented the nickname in his memoir of the same name.
“My family had declared me a nullity. The Spare. I didn’t complain about it, but I didn’t need to dwell on it either. Far better, in my mind, not to think about certain facts… But no one gave a damn whom I traveled with; the Spare could always be spared,” he wrote. “I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy.”
Traditionally, the second in line receives a title of Princess Consort or Prince Consort, with the exception of Prince Philip, who declined it. Princess Charlotte has the option to receive the title once her father becomes King. A royal insider said, “It could either be seen as an antiquated title or something steeped in history that they will want to respect.”
Reports also came in that Prince William will be taking away Prince Harry and his wife’s HRH titles onces he’s King. “It’s no secret William wants Harry more harshly dealt with. He thinks he has betrayed the family from top to bottom, which is the ultimate Windsor crime. It wouldn’t take much to provoke him to flex his muscles when he is king,” a palace insider told The Daily Beast.
Courtesy of: Random House.
Spare by Prince Harry
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