How the Queen ensured things would be different for Princess Charlotte compared to fellow ‘spare’ Princess Anne

The Queen ensured things would be different for Princess Charlotte compared to fellow so-called royal “spare” Princess Anne.  

• When she was born the Princess Royal was a “spare” to King Charles and followed directly after him in the line of succession but this all changed 10 years later.
• The Queen gave Royal Assent to a law in 2013 that means Princess Charlotte’s place in the succession will never be displaced. 
• This royal news comes as Elizabeth Arden delighted fans online with a cheeky response to *that* Prince Harry moment. 

The moment the title of Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, was announced, attention was brought to the concept of an “heir and a spare”. The terms is sometimes used to refer to the older child in line to inherit the throne and their younger sibling and Prince Harry’s heartbreaking inspiration for the title  was mentioned in the book. It’s previously been suggested that Princess Diana tried to “protect” him from being labeled the “spare” and he’s not the only one to be in this position of comparison. Princess Anne was “spare” to King Charles and seven-year-old Princess Charlotte could be seen as one to future monarch, Prince George. 

Though thanks to the late Queen, growing up as “spare” has been a very different experience for the two royals. Unlike her great-aunt, Princess Charlotte will never be displaced from this role and will retain a high place in the line of succession for many years to come. 

Despite being the second-born of the late Queen’s children, Princess Anne is only 16th in the royal line of succession and was a “spare” for a limited time. Prince Andrew was born the year the Princess Royal turned 10 and jumped ahead of her in line to the throne, becoming a “spare”. 

This is because at the time the system of male primogeniture was in place, which meant a younger son could displace an elder daughter. By the time Princess Charlotte was born, however, things had radically changed - and the Queen gave it her personal seal of approval. 

The Queen gave Royal Assent to the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 after it was put forward. This amended things so that this displacement would no longer happen and applies to any royals born after October 28, 2011.

As a result, Princess Charlotte remains ahead of her younger brother Prince Louis in the succession and any future children she might have will also be ahead of his future children. The Queen’s decision to give her assent to the 2013 law meant that things are likely very different for Princess Charlotte in terms of her life as a “spare” compared to Princess Anne. 

Though whilst their positions might be different, it’s thought possible that one day Princess Anne’s rare royal title of Princess Royal could be passed on to her great-niece. She has also been found consistently to be the most hard-working royal in recent years and is perhaps a wonderful role model for Princess Charlotte. 

Princess Anne has showcased the types of responsibilities that can be held by the sister of a King and the dedication it takes. And this commitment is something she previously revealed was inspired by the Queen and Prince Philip.

“It’s not just about, Can I get a tick in the box for doing this?” the Princess explained to Vanity Fair (opens in new tab) in 2020 when discussing her role. “No, it’s about serving…. It comes from an example from both my parents’ way of working and where they saw their role being,”