Prince William & Kate Middleton's Move To Protect Daughter From 'Spare' Pitfalls Sparks Outrage At The Sussexes

By Afouda Bamidele on May 7, 2025 at 10:30 AM EDT

Kate Middleton and Prince William with son Prince Louis to celebrate his seventh birthday. UK - 23 Apr 2025
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Prince William and Kate Middleton are ensuring their only daughter does not experience life in the Royal Family like her controversial uncle, Prince Harry.

The Prince and Princess of Wales' ward, Princess Charlotte, recently made headlines after royal biographer Robert Hardman addressed her unique position as a spare to her brother, Prince George.

The royal biographer claimed Prince William and Kate Middleton will never let Princess Charlotte endure the same hardships her uncle alleges he experienced as a spare. However, some fans believe Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, are just whiny royals.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton Are Protecting Princess Charlotte's Royal Path

Prince William and Kate Middleton with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis Start at Lambrook School
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During a recent interview, Hardman highlighted the Prince and Princess of Wales' protective nature. He stressed that they were very protective of their children, especially Charlotte, noting they wished to spare them from negative experiences down their royal path.

Charlotte's position in the Royal Family as a spare to George, the future heir, is a delicate situation for the Wales, given Harry's never-ending complaints about his time as a spare.

The royal biographer claimed William and Kate wished to avoid the pitfalls the Duke of Sussex experienced, noting it was one of their most important duties as parents.

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William, especially, took Charlotte's spare position seriously, with Hardman claiming he was not just "preparing to be King himself but to make the whole royal existence approachable and not scary for all his children."

The author of "The Making of a King" noted the late Queen Elizabeth II was similarly concerned about spares, telling PEOPLE

"The late Queen [Elizabeth] was always very conscious of that extraordinary and challenging role of the No. 2. That's why she had a particular soft spot for [her sister] Margaret, for [her son] Andrew and Harry."

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Inside Prince Harry's Alleged Struggles As A 'Spare'

Prince William and Prince Harry at RAF Shawbury.
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Hardman stressed that the late Queen "understood being second place in a strictly hierarchical family and institution has its challenges," and she wasn't alone in her worries. "Everyone is conscious of that," the royal biographer added.

The royals being "conscious" of the challenges spares face might be linked to Harry's controversial tell-all memoir, "Spare." In the scathing book about his life and time in the Royal Family, the Duke of Sussex alleged it was painful living as number 2.

"I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy," he wrote. Harry claimed that living as the spare eventually led to tension and rivalry with his older brother. He also alleged there were moments when he felt dismissed or devalued.

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"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 d-mn whom I traveled with; the Spare could always be spared," Harry lamented in his memoir.

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The Prince And Princess Of Wales Are Doing Things Differently

Kate Middleton and Prince William with son Prince Louis to celebrate his seventh birthday. UK - 23 Apr 2025
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To avoid the alleged pain and suffering Harry endured as a spare, a source claimed William and Kate are raising Charlotte to "strike a balance between private life and duty."

The young Princess has already made history as the first female royal to not lose her place in the line of succession to a younger brother, thanks to the Succession to the Crown Act 2013. 

While her parents are determined to do things differently, some critics believe they don't have to worry about raising Charlotte to be nothing like Harry. These people blamed the Duke of Sussex for turning out the way he did and refused to acknowledge his alleged painful experiences in the Royal Family.

"Harry was always included... never treated like a 'spare' William, Catherine & Harry did multiple engagements together, including Invictus. Harry had a moreeasy life, of course, not a huge responsibility like William. But it was Meghan who made Harry feel insecure & a spare," someone argued on X. 

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Critics Refuse To Sympathize With The Sussexes

Prince Harry, Prince William, Meghan Markle
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The criticism against the Duke of Sussex continued with another noting that Harry dug his own grave with bad decisions.

"Prince Harry is an idiot who wants more than he deserves. To take care of his children and wife, and shut up. The Waleses have a strong family and are always there for their children," the X user stressed.

Another echoed similar sentiments, writing, "Harry and his wife are riddled with jealousy… they're a bit deranged." A third agreed, noting Charlotte and her brothers must live with the shame of having Harry as their relative.

"Their uncle will go down in history as the jealous, insecure brother who married for lust," the critic quipped. While others bashed the Sussexes, one X user sympathized with Charlotte.

The individual pointed out how difficult it was for the Princess to be her younger brother, Prince Louis' nanny. They noted she was always ensuring her sibling wouldn't act out at public events, noting how mature she was.

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Princess Charlotte Embodies Royal Custom At Queen Elizabeth's Funeral

Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London.
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The comment about Charlotte's maturity brought to mind the Princess' appearance at Queen Elizabeth's funeral. The Blast covered the story, reporting she wore her first piece of significant jewelry to the 2022 event, a custom for royals.

Charlotte wore a diamond horseshoe brooch pinned to the left side of her black coat to honor the Queen's love of horses. The stunning jewelry was also gifted to her by her late great-grandmother.

The Princess's embodiment of royal customs continued by wearing a large black hat for the first time, a custom for British women when attending formal events. The Princess was seven at the time, and no amount of mature clothing could hide the heartbreak the little girl felt.

Pictures from the funeral captured Charlotte breaking down in tears as she bid her final farewells to the late monarch. She attended the event with her brother George and her parents, but the Sussexes also participated.

Will Prince William and Kate Middleton be able to ensure Princess Charlotte doesn't experience any pitfalls like Prince Harry?

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