Princess Charlotte turns 7 THE ROYAL FAMILY'S RISING STAR

Inside the charmed life of the Windsor clan's sweet secret weapon

- Karleigh Smith

With a toothy smile and lively eyes staring directly into a camera operated by her mum, it's clear Princess Charlotte is full of confidence - with a decent dose of cheekiness to boot!

When the young royal turned seven last week, palace insiders say her proud parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, told friends in mock exasperation that their only daughter is "seven going on 17."

“She's a sassy, smart child who already runs rings around her brothers," adds one well-placed royal source, speaking exclusively to Woman's Day. “Charlotte is a busy little thing who loves school, but she adores her tennis, ballet and riding ponies even more. She's an adventurous MountbattenWindsor through and through, but even more importantly, she's kind. You can tell she's growing up surrounded by a lot of love."

Royal watchers have long noted Charlotte is the spitting image of her great-grandmother the Queen, 96, when she was a young girl, with some describing her as “the apple of Her Majesty's eye".