Princess Charlotte has spoken her first word and taken her first steps on camera at what appeared to be the best children’s party ever.
17-month-old Charlotte and her older brother Prince George attended the engagement held in the grounds of Government House in Victoria for military families and their offspring, along with their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The fun-filled event also marked the first time that the Cambridges have allowed the media to film their two young children at play.
With ponies, dogs and rabbits, as well as more conventional children’s entertainment like a puppet show and balloon modelling, George and Charlotte appeared to have a blast at the event. While Prince George chose to embark on a short pony ride around the garden, Princess Charlotte, who learned to walk a few months ago, seemed happy to toddle around unassisted.
Dressed in a smart blue dress by Pepa & Co, the Princess was the life and soul of the party, adorably befriending a black-and-white rabbit named Smores, sitting with a therapy dog named Moose and making music with a tiny tambourine.
She was particularly enamoured, though, with an archway made of balloons, which she ran over to hug with enthusiasm. It even inspired the first word that she’s uttered on camera – ‘Pop!’
The toddler was also heard calling excitedly to her father, William, who she calls ‘dada.’
WATCH: Princess Charlotte playing in Canada
At the hour-long play date, the miniature royals met 24 other under-fives, all of whom come from military families where one parent is currently on active duty.
Entertainer Paul Kilshaw was tasked with making balloon animals for the pair: George asked for a spider and a volcano, while Charlotte wanted a flower. ‘I made a teddy bear and a flower for Charlotte and made George a tree and a volcano. When I made him the spider, he started to laugh and pushed it in my face then pushed it in dad’s face,’ he told Vanity Fair. What a joker.
‘When I started with the orange flames [of the volcano] he was pleased to tell me, “And that’s lava,”’ Kilshaw added. ‘Charlotte asked for a flower, I think she said “flower” because the other little girls were asking for flowers.’
The family are set to return from their week-long visit on Saturday October 1.