Royally Obsessed | news

Princess Charlotte Strikes Again with Signature Wave at Trooping the Colour

Princess Charlotte is stealing the show at her grandfather’s event.

Today, the royal family gathered for the annual Trooping the Colour celebration, which marks King Charles's birthday. But while the festivities includes a parade, an official salute and a Royal Air Force fly-past, there was one young royal who caught our eye: Princess Charlotte (8). During the parade, it didn't take long for photographers to capture the princess doing her signature wave.

In the clip, courtesy of royal watcher @ChristinsQueens on Twitter, we see the 8-year-old happily waving from the side of the carriage while the rest of her fellow riders take a break. But the beginning of the video gives us a clue as to where Charlotte learned her skills, because her mom, Kate Middleton (41), gives a very subtle wave as well.

Princess Charlotte attended the event alongside her mom, as well as dad, Prince William (40). Her two siblings, Prince George (9) and Prince Louis (5), were also in attendance.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

This isn’t the first time that Princess Charlotte has addressed well-wishers at a royal event. In fact, Char debuted her signature wave when she was just a year old, and she’s used the move on countless occasions—including Princess Eugenie’s wedding and King Charles’s coronation (see above).

Trooping the Colour has become an annual tradition for the royal family because it serves as King Charles’s second birthday celebration. Although he was born on November 14, the monarch also has a celebratory birthday in June (aka Trooping the Colour).

The British monarchy established the holiday in 1748 to fulfill a request by King George II. Since the patriarch’s birthday was in November (like King Charles), he created the event so he could have a second, grander birthday party in the summer.

The royal family offered a glimpse of a typical Trooping the Colour itinerary on their official website. “The streets are lined with crowds waving flags as the parade moves from Buckingham Palace and down The Mall to Horse Guard's Parade, alongside Members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages,” it read. “The display closes with an RAF fly-past, watched by Members of the Royal Family from Buckingham Palace balcony.”

Never change, Princess Charlotte.

Stay up-to-date on every breaking royal family story by subscribing here.

Listen to ‘Royally Obsessed,’ the Podcast for People Who Love the Royal Family

Shop Kate Middleton-Inspired Fashion:

Blondo Tallis Slouch Waterproof Boot

202
Buy Now

Smythson Panama East West Tote

1,095
Buy Now

Erdem Floral Print Long Sleeve Midi Shirtdress

1,495
Buy Now

J.Crew 'Elsie' Suede Pump

75
Buy Now

Greta Heggeness

Senior Editor

Greta Heggeness is a California-based editor at PureWow and has been writing about entertainment since 2015. She covers everything from awards shows to exclusive celebrity...
read full bio

Why You Should Trust Us

PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.