Experts say that Princess Charlotte, the second child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, may have a hard time adjusting to her new role in the royal family, similar to what Prince Harry and Princess Margaret went through.

Chris Ship, a royal expert, told the ITV that Charlotte's role as "the spare" could make her feel like she is in the shadow of her older brother, Prince George. He said, "It's a very difficult position to be in," He also said that the princess will probably have to "come to terms with" her position when George becomes king.

Ship pointed out that Princess Margaret's life was similar to that of Queen Elizabeth II, who had a hard time living in her sister's shadow.

He said, "Margaret must have wondered what the point of her even being there was, as it was all about her older sister," per Mirror. He pointed out the difficulty of balancing expectations of their Junior Royal's newly gained title with their own personal happiness as individuals.

In his memoir "Spare," Prince Harry also talked about a similar situation in his life as the younger sibling: "I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy. I was summoned to provide backup, distraction, diversion and, if necessary, a spare part. Kidney perhaps. Blood transfusion. Speck of bone marrow. This was all made explicitly clear to me from the start of life's journey and regularly reinforced thereafter."

Ship said that Charlotte might have to deal with something similar: "It's probably something Princess Charlotte will also have to come to terms with, when George eventually becomes king and she has to find a role for herself."

Charlotte has already been a big part of royal events with her parents, even though these problems are expected. Experts say that Kate Middleton will be very important in helping her daughter deal with the pressures of being the second-born in the line of succession, as well as the pressures of being in the public eye and meeting royal expectations.

People who study the royal family say that knowing the historical context of "the spare" can help us understand the pressures Charlotte may face as she grows up, trying to find a balance between being herself and being a royal while her older brother is the heir apparent.

Charlotte, who is now eight, will likely keep showing up at big events as she slowly takes on more public duties.

Tags
Princess Charlotte, Kate Middleton, Royal family