She may be only two years old but Britain’s Princess Charlotte appears to be settling in quickly to a lifetime of royal duties.
The Princess charmed ambassadors and dignitaries on the tarmac at Berlin Tegel Airport, smiling happily while shaking hands and accepting a baby bouquet of flowers as her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, proudly looked on.
Charlotte made her second appearance of the family’s five-day royal trip on Wednesday alongside her older brother, George, who gave a little salute but appeared tired, rubbing his eyes in the bright sunshine.
This week’s tour to Poland and Germany came at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is being viewed by many as a soft power approach to diplomacy as Brexit negotiations get underway.
Germany has rolled out the red carpet for this leg of their trip, which marks the first joint visit for William, the Duke of Cambridge, and his wife, Catherine.
The Cambridges joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel for lunch before making their way to the Brandenburg Gate, one of the most famous landmarks in the German capital and a symbol of the country’s unification.
There the royal couple was greeted with cheering crowds, many of whom had been waiting since the early hours for a glimpse of the pair. Prince George and Princess Charlotte were not in attendance.
“I think the Queen is very popular because she’s been there a long time. I like the whole royal family package: the glamor and circumstance,” student Jenna Gittermann told CNN.
Berlin resident Sebastian Hasse had been patiently waiting at the popular landmark since 5 a.m. (11 p.m. ET) in anticipation of the royal arrival.
He said: “Kate and William are excellent young people — they know, they understand European young people everywhere… I’m hoping to see today Kate and William, take a picture and then I’m happy, tired, hungry and lucky!”
Later on Wednesday, the royal couple will spend time at Strassenkinder, a charity that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, before meeting with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Bellevue Palace and, in the evening, attending a Queen’s birthday party event in the gardens of the British Ambassador’s residence.
Earlier this week, the Cambridges visited Poland, including the site of a former German Nazi concentration camp in Stutthof.
They will return home on Friday after two more days of engagements.
