Princess Charlotte likes to look after older brother George, Queen says

Princess Charlotte loves to look after her older brother Prince George, the Queen has disclosed, as she presented a children’s prize at Sandringham.

The Queen, who is great-grandmother to two-year-old Charlotte and four-year-old George, awarded a Bible to a ten-year-old girl, asking her whether she “looked after” her little sister.

When the mother of Emily Clay, who was honoured with the prize for her outstanding religious studies project, replied that it was “the other way round”, the Queen remarked: "It's like that with Charlotte and George."

The light-hearted comments echo the sentiments of Princess Charlotte’s mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, who last year declared that the toddler was “the one in charge”.

Tom Clay, Emily’s proud father who received the same prize himself in 1990, explained: "The Queen was implying that Charlotte keeps an eye out for George rather than the other way around.”

Princess Charlotte, who has just started nursery, will have ample chance to look after her brother later this month, when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge depart for a four-day-long tour in Sweden and Norway.

While their children remain at home to attend school and nursery, the Duke and Duchess will celebrate the culture and people of the Scandinavian countries during a visit which will encompass a trip to a ski slope and a showcase of innovative designs from Ikea.

It is thought the trip was originally planned for late last year but was moved after the Duchess became pregnant and once again suffered a bout of severe morning sickness.

The Duchess, who is carrying her third child, will be around six months pregnant when the official tour begins in the Swedish capital of Stockholm on January 30, but is expected to take full part in the trip which features a number of events outside despite the freezing conditions.

Swedish celebrities such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Thor actor Stellan Skarsgard and actress Alicia Vikander, who is married to Hollywood star Michael Fassbender, will join the royal couple at a black-tie dinner at the residence of the British Ambassador.

The British royal family are related to their counterparts in Sweden and Norway, and the Duke and Duchess will be joined by members of the foreign monarchy during parts of their visit.

During their trip the Cambridges will also meet a number of Nobel Laureates with Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel at the Nobel Museum.

In Norway the royal couple will have a private lunch with the country's King and Queen, attended by other members of Norway's monarchy, and visit a picturesque ski jump outside the capital Oslo to celebrate the country's Winter Olympic achievements.

Other events will highlight the success of Norway's young entrepreneurs and efforts to tackle the problems faced by teenagers via an innovative television programme called Skam.

The couple will use a private chartered jet during their trip and travel with an entourage of 13: two private secretaries, the Cambridges' senior advisor Sir David Manning, a four-strong communications team, the Duke's equerry, a tour secretary, personal assistant, orderlies to help with logistics, and the Duchess' hairdresser who is funded privately.