Princess Charlotte looks like she's great friends with mum Kate, expert says

Being a royal can't be easy every day, so it's important for members of the family to have a really solid support system of friends.

For one body language expert, mum Princess Kate and daughter Princess Charlotte are becoming close friends as the years go by — which is a great thing for both of them.

"As Charlotte gets older there are some clear signs of not just mother-daughter bonding with Kate but also friendship signals, too," Judi James told Express.

"It’s not unusual for a mother and her daughter to describe themselves as friends or even enjoy being 'best friends' but where Kate and Charlotte are concerned that specific bond might be more necessary than it is for others."

Here's what Judi meant by that statement: "Being a top-tier royal can be an isolating experience and we all saw how much the late Queen always cherished the unique equality of her mother-daughter bond with Princess Anne," she explained.

"Kate is clearly acting as mentor and support for her daughter when it comes to royal events, and as Charlotte’s signs of mirroring her mother increase in terms of her body language and even styling, there are hints that Charlotte will become a source of companionship and support for Kate in the Firm, too."

As we've all seen in her public appearances in recent months, Princess Charlotte, 7, is turning out to be quite the character. She can be quite cheeky, but is also not afraid to tell both of her brothers off when they break royal protocol.

"The support at the moment is clearly mainly from Kate but already Charlotte seems to be helping when it comes to keeping her two brothers in check," Judi said.

"Charlotte seems to mirror her mother’s signals of calm confidence when they appear together in public and she will also happily be there to nudge George and Louis when it comes to remembering the protocols."

The three Wales children last appeared in public on their way to church at Sandringham on Christmas Day, while George and Charlotte also got to attend Kate's Carol Service in mid-December.

While their appearances are sometimes a surprise, the next time we expect to spot them among a royal crowd will be for their grandfather King Charles' coronation on 6 May.