Royal sister acts: Inseparable siblings from Kate and Pippa Middleton to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

There's nothing quite as strong as a sibling bond – especially between sisters. The ups and downs you face in your life always seem much better with her by your side. Whether you're preparing for a significant milestone or there's something troubling your mind, a sister will help shoulder the burden. And being in the public eye, these royal siblings have proven that they can handle anything that comes their way thanks to their special sister bond. 

The Duchess of Cambridge and Pippa Middleton 

It was the moment seen around the world when Pippa Middleton proved to be her big sister the Duchess of Cambridge's perfect companion, as she played bridesmaid at Kate's wedding to Prince William in 2011. Being involved in one of history's grandest wedding ceremonies was just another chapter in their intertwined lives, which has seen Kate and Pippa attend the same school, join the same Brownie packs and attend the same children's parties growing up in Berkshire. 

Kate returned the favour in 2011 when she played a supporting role at Pippa's 2017 wedding to James Matthews. The Duchess was on hand to keep all the flower girls and page boys in check – which included her own children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – and was even pictured adjusting Pippa's train, just as Pippa had done for Kate at her own wedding. 

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie

Queen Elizabeth II’s granddaughters attended the same schools and share a devotion to family, friends, and fashion. In a previous interview, Princess Eugenie said that she can’t live without her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, her sister and her father Prince Andrew. When she lived in New York for two years, working for an online auction house, her older sibling visited often, and on her return to the UK, Eugenie moved into an apartment in St James’s Palace with Beatrice. 

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The York sisters have been able to lean on each other through trying times, such as their parents’ divorce when they were children and in 2016 when Princess Beatrice split from her partner of ten years, Dave Clark. They’ve been there for each other, too, to help laugh off occasional unkind comments. When Beatrice was mocked for the "pretzel" hat she wore for her cousin Prince William’s wedding, it was no doubt Eugenie who helped her see the funny side. And when Beatrice tackled the issue by putting up the Philip Treacy hat for auction, raising over £80,000 for charity, she garnered not just the last laugh, but real respect. 

Charlotte Casiraghi and Princess Alexandra of Hanover

Despite their 13-year age gap, the daughters of Monaco’s Princess Caroline have always been close, with Alexandra regarding Charlotte as something of a "she-ro". The 20-year-old, whose father is Prince Ernst of Hanover, couldn’t have a better role model. Charlotte, from Caroline’s marriage to late Italian businessman, Stefano Casiraghi, knows the royal ropes, having been one of the principality’s stars for many years. She also has a reputation for fashion equal to that of their famously stylish mum. 

Poised mum-of-two Charlotte, who models for Gucci, was on hand when Alexandra made her society debut in 2016 at the Rose Ball in Monte Carlo, ensuring that her little sister was at ease in front of the cameras. Alex, as she likes to be known, has also picked up on Charlotte's passion for sports. While her big sister is a dedicated equestrian, the young princess is an accomplished figure skater who represented Monaco at the 2015 European Youth Olympic festival. 

MORE: 13 times the royals cheekily stuck their tongue out for the cameras

 Princess Mako and Princess Kako of Japan

The latest jewels in the crown to shine for the Japanese monarchy – Princess Mako and Princess Kako, the daughters of Emperor Akihito’s second son Prince Akinisho and his wife Kiko, have gained a following in the last few years for their winning looks and elegant demeanour. Mako and Kako are so in sync they often coordinate their outfits right down to the colour and accessories, as well as having very similar gestures. 

The pretty royals received a similar education, both attending Gakushuin School in Tokyo followed by International Christian University – as well as a semester spent learning English in Dublin. Mako, on the right, then followed this by studying a masters in museology at the University of Leicester in Britain. She has made a mark in the international sphere with trips to Paraguay, El Salvador and Honduras to mark 80 years of ties between the Latin countries and Japan. Meanwhile, Kako has made a favourable impression at home by learning Japanese sign language and championing the deaf community. 

Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine of Sweden

In due course, Crown Princess Victoria, right, will reign as Queen of Sweden. But to younger sister Princess Madeleine, she plays the equally vital role of supportive big sister. Down the years the royal siblings have weathered many storms together, including Victoria's struggles with anorexia and the 2010 break-up of Madeleine's engagement to lawyer Jonas Bergström, who she'd been with for eight years. The younger princess bravely put aside her own heartbreak to attend Victoria’s wedding a few months later. This was not the only drama in the run-up to the nuptials – the groom, the Crown Princess’s former personal trainer Daniel Westling – now known as Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland, had to have a kidney transplant because of a congenital defect. 

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Now, though, the hard times are well in the past, with both royal ladies happily married. In 2013 Madeleine wed American-British financier Chris O’Neill, whom she met while living in New York. And motherhood has only brought her and Victoria closer, despite the fact that she is now based in Florida. "When you have kids, it’s an extra connection," Madeleine previously told People. “And the little cousins, Leonore and Estelle, they’re very close – they’re more like sisters. Victoria and I try very hard to make it so they really can see each other and play and have fun." 

Queen Letizia of Spain and Telma Ortiz 

Slender, brunette and with a ferocious work ethic, Telma Ortiz, right, could almost be mistaken for her older sister, Spain’s Queen Letizia. And when award-winning reporter Letizia married into the monarchy, Telma, an Erasmus scholar who has worked for various international aid organizations, also found herself catapulted into the limelight. Naturally discreet, the sisters kept their own relationship and family life largely private. But they could not hide their suffering when their youngest sister, Erika, took her own life in 2007. The public grieved with them and the royals, including Letizia’s father-in-law, then-King Juan Carlos, who attended the funeral. Later, as they started to rebuild their lives, Letizia introduced Telma to one of her close friends, Jaime del Burgo, an attractive businessman. The result was a four-year marriage, with Letizia and her husband, now Spain’s King Felipe, attending the couple’s Italian wedding party as guests of honour. 

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