The Prince and Princess of Wales's daughter, Princess Charlotte, turned ten last week with the royal couple sharing a candid iPhone snap taken by mum Kate to mark the occasion.
The image showed the sporty, adventurous young Princess clearly delighted to be out in the elements, wearing a leaf-print Jack Pyke waterproof camouflage jacket and a backpack, and with her windswept long hair tied back in a ponytail.
Charlotte has a sensitivity beyond her years, according to royal expert Phil Dampier, who tells HELLO! that the young Princess "has been a great source of strength" to her mother Kate during her cancer treatment.
Phil also says that Charlotte has inherited her maturity from her late great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and a feistiness from her great-aunt, the Princess Royal.
© Getty Images"Winston Churchill once said of Queen Elizabeth that he had never seen such maturity in a child so young, and Charlotte seems to have inherited that trait from her great-grandmother, to whom she bears an uncanny resemblance.
"I'm told that Charlotte has also inherited from the late Queen a brilliant ability to mimic prominent figures.
"She's a kind soul with a reputation for being feisty and keeping her brothers under control."
Action Princess
Not only does she bear a striking resemblance to her late great-grandmother; she also appears to have inherited her love of action. Elizabeth II adored country pursuits and served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service – the women's branch of the army – during the Second World War.
© GettyAnd Charlotte's birthday portrait showed a different side to the girl we have seen wearing dresses in previous birthday pictures, or in formal wear at official royal events, with William and Kate having broken with tradition by showing her in a camouflage jacket.
"Charlotte certainly looks ready for action; it's great to see her looking so informal and relaxed, and clearly having a wonderful time," says HELLO!'s royal editor Emily Nash.
© The Princess of Wales"We know how strongly Kate advocates for children to spend time in nature, and it's also how the royals choose to spend their holidays, particularly when they go to Balmoral.
"I think Charlotte looks a lot like Prince William here, but she also reminds me of the late Queen, who loved spending time out walking, riding and shooting.
"The Princess has clearly inherited that love of being outdoors. Kate has spoken about her own family holidays to the Lake District, so it seems she is continuing that tradition with her children."
Kate, who was in the Lake District in March in her role as joint president of the Scouts, spoke about how the outdoors were a "place to balance" in "a very busy world", saying that she had found a "very spiritual and very intense emotional reconnection" when spending time in nature.
Princess Charlotte exclusive
© GettyThe HELLO! Royal Club spoke to a royal insider for a hitherto untold perspective on the third in line to the throne and discovered Charlotte's 'uncanny knack', the royal whom she most closely resembles, and how her "great inner strength" has been an indispensable crutch for mother Catherine over the last year. It even got an exclusive tip on Charlotte's preferred next school. Simply click on the button below to read the exclusive article.
Royal Swiftie
The little Princess also loves to spend time with her father, and was thrilled when Prince William took her and brother Prince George, now 11, to see Taylor Swift's show at Wembley Stadium last June – especially when the star and her boyfriend Travis Kelce posed for a selfie with the family.
© InstagramA few months later, on a visit to Cape Town, William wore a friendship bracelet – calling it a "relic" from the concert – that Charlotte had made, spelling out the word "papa".
He also revealed that his new beard had upset his daughter.
"Charlotte didn't like it the first time," he said. "I got floods of tears, so I had to shave it off. And then I grew it back; I convinced her it was going to be okay."
Charlotte is equally close to her mother and was at her side for one of Kate's first public appearances following her cancer diagnosis, at Wimbledon last July.
© Getty"She reminds me of the Princess Royal, as she's a strong character and able to tell her brothers what to do," Phil says.
"Because Charlotte is the first Princess to be above a living brother in the line of succession, she is growing up with a sense of responsibility. She is great pals with George and Louis, but also a sensitive and clever sister who can guide and help them."
© Samir Hussein/WireImageIndeed, Kate once told another parent that Charlotte "is the one in charge", as we saw at Elizabeth II's funeral – when she reminded George to bow at the right time – and at the King's coronation, when she supervised lively Louis.
To read the full exclusive report, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK now. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
HLS: Royal Women special
© GettyHLS: Royal Women Special Issue
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