Can You Really Step Out Of Your Sibling's Shadow?

Princess Charlotte doesn’t seem keen to let big brother George take the lead. We investigate...

For years, scientists have investigated the part that birth order plays on our personality. Studies show the eldest child is the most likely to be successful and thrive in leadership roles, so it was never going to be that easy for Princess Charlotte – especially with big brother Prince George who’s heir to the throne.

But while you might think she’d shrink away, recent public appearances suggest that’s not the case – the three-year-old charmed everyone at Prince Louis’ christening this month, and in April her royal wave at St Mary’s Hospital went viral.

As far as the royals are concerned this dynamic isn’t unusual – growing up, the Queen was reportedly the quieter one, while her younger sister Princess Margaret loved the spotlight. Prince Harry was always a rebel, too. Experts suggest these exuberant characters are part of second child syndrome, derived from a need to make a name for oneself away from other siblings, but what does the future hold for Charlotte and George’s relationship?

With statistics showing more than one in 10 of us would feel upset if our sibling was much more successful, we examine if you can ever truly step out of their shadow...

Clare axworthy, 39, lives in South Hams, Devon, with her husband Jon, 46, and three kids Eddie, 14, Sammy, nine, and annie, seven.