Why Princess Charlotte just broke royal protocol on Instagram

Princess Charlotte just made royal history, and you may have missed the subtle break from tradition.

After cheering on England’s Lionesses in their dramatic Women's Euro Final win in Switzerland, the young royal made her official social media debut alongside dad Prince William.

The message posted to Kensington Palace’s official account read: "What a game! Lionesses, you are the champions of Europe and we couldn’t be prouder of the whole team. Enjoy this moment England. W & Charlotte."

But eagle-eyed royal watchers noticed something unusual: while Prince William signed off with his usual solitary “W”, Charlotte’s name was spelled out in full, breaking from the typical royal protocol of using just initials.

Unlike William, whose "W" clearly identifies him, Charlotte shares the same initial as her mother, Catherine. 

Had she signed off as simply “C,” fans might’ve mistaken the message as coming from William and Kate, not William and Charlotte.

By using her full name, the palace made sure Charlotte’s debut moment shined without confusion, and royal fans loved it.

The nine-year-old previously featured in a post for Father’s Day last year, where the Wales children (George, Charlotte, and Louis) signed the message “G, C & L”, but that was clearly from the kids, with no need for full names.

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