Alerts & Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Prince WIlliam, Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince Harry
Getty Images

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.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: (L-R) Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the military procession to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 05, 2025 in London, England. The King and Queen, joined by Members of the Royal Family, will take part in events from May 5th to May 8th to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which signalled the end of the Second World War in Europe.
(Photo by Neil Mockford/GC Images)

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.

Spare by Prince Harry
Courtesy of: Random House.
Spare by Prince Harry
On Sale 41% off
StyleCaster Daily
Get the latest news and style intel delivered to your inbox.

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

PMC Logo
StyleCaster is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2026 SheMedia, LLC. All Rights Reserved.