In Britain, the British royal family enchants the public with their playful gap-toothed smiles. For decades, countless young members have joyously adopted this charming quirk. Just a couple months back, we could see Prince George, 11, show off his own gap-toothed smile, continuing a royal tradition that’s awfully sweet. His younger sister, Princess Charlotte, just turned nine. She worked the most adorable smile at Wimbledon 2023, which had already completely endeared them to fans.
This amusing characteristic of absent ivories is not uncharacteristic of the royal lineage. According to the family of Princess Beatrice, daughter of Sarah Ferguson, a gap-toothed smiley face was discovered in a 1996 photo. Princess Eugenie, her sister, showed a famous gap-toothed smile at eight years old. That reality was eloquently documented in this 1990 photograph by Charles Eshelman. These photos show that the family has clearly enjoyed a deep and storied relationship with this picturesque adornment.
This photo from 1990 snaps a young Prince William during a game of polo. He looks up at the camera and flashes a gap-toothed smile, full of childhood mischief and delight. In another candid photo from his preschool years, he was photographed with a mouth full of 4 missing teeth and 1 coming through. These fine moments are just a sampling of the universal, childhood shenanigans that feel personal to all families.
Royal Family member Zara Tindall recently displayed her charmingly gappy smile at the Windsor Horse Trials. This rally in May 1988 was a huge success. This wonderful familial tendency seen among royal siblings and cousins speaks to an endearing bond between generations. It was in January 2025 that six-year-old Lena Tindall really made headlines when she appeared sans a pair of her lower teeth. Talk about a way to continue one of history’s cuter royal traditions!
Prince Louis joined the ranks of his family members with a gap-toothed grin captured in his seventh birthday portrait. His joyful smile is just like his big brother and sister, proof that this delightful family streak is alive and well.
The cheeky charm of these royal grins even rubs off on Prince Harry. Photographs of him sledging in Austria, testing out his trademark double gap before its construction in 1992. This bittersweet window into childhood is an unvarnished look at the private lives of everyone in the royal family.
While these young royals may be still learning and growing, their smiles have already melted hearts around the world. Those gap-toothed smiles make us nostalgic for days gone by and relatable childhood mischief. This professional-pedestrian connection further endears them to the public.
