Princess Charlotte ‘charming’ at her first engagement with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

The seven-year-old princess joined her proud parents in Birmingham – host city of the Commonwealth Games – to learn about a programme preparing the next generation of sportsmen and women.

Charlotte appeared curious about her surroundings and the people around her at Birmingham University, and a little apprehensive at times, but received a reassuring arm around her shoulder or word in her ear from William, and held Kate’s hand at other moments.

The young princess revealed gymnastics was the sport she liked most and joined a nutritional workshop helping her parents place pictures of foods like nuts, bread and grapes into the right groups, whether protein, carbohydrates, antioxidants or healthy fats.

At one point Charlotte was asked to update a Team England medal board and added a bronze, won in the men’s team table tennis event, and a silver from the lawn bowls men’s pairs.

She was also taken by William and Kate to events at the Games and was photographed grinning during swimming heats and later joined her parents to watch a hockey match.

Tim Lawler, chief executive of SportsAid, a partner organisation of the Team England Futures programme, hosted the royal visit at Birmingham University.

He said: “I did notice the duke and the duchess, as we were trying to do, include Charlotte in the conversations – we were very mindful of that and it was really very evident the duke and duchess were doing that to, I suppose, include her and reassure her.

“She was charming, very willing to put the medals on the medal board, and she asked the right question, which was ‘where exactly should I put this?’. It was by date and she checked.

“She really, really loved seeing the swimming, but she’s interested in the gymnastics, and while they’re trying lots of different sports at home, I understand, when I asked her about sport she answered very easily and said ‘it’s gymnastics that I like’.”