Princess Charlotte becomes an unwitting fashion influencer at the age of 8

It might seem hard to credit, but Princess Charlotte is already a significant influence in the world of children’s clothes.

It has long been accepted that her mother, Catherine, drives fashion sales through what she wears – unintentionally, of course.

But now it seems that shoes, dresses and even sunglasses worn by eight-year-old Princess Charlotte are also selling out within hours.

Sitting in the front row of the Royal Box at the Wimbledon men’s final on Sunday Charlotte wore a striking pair of Leosun sunglasses – and the result was a 450 per cent rise in traffic on the brand website.

Classic, understated and age-appropriate, Charlotte’s wardrobe is filled with floral dresses from Spanish brands, cardigans and buckled shoes from Papouelli, a label which has experienced world-wide interest since the princess appeared in them around the time of the Coronation.

Charlotte also wears simple plimsolls from Trotters, the cult London childrenswear shop in Chelsea. Breton stripes are a favourite print.

A Rachel Riley dress with a peter pan collar dress worn to the Commonwealth Games provoked a notable rush of interest.

The dress sold out completely within 24 hours and Rachel Riley set up a pre-order system for customers eager to replicate Charlotte’s preppy style.

Interest in the young princess’s clothes and accessories began before she was even one day old.

Minutes after she had appeared on the steps of the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s, Paddington, the baby’s GH Hurt & Son shawl had attracted 100,000 visitors to their website from more than 183 countries.

This unwanted influence can only be a source of dismay to Kate and William, who work hard to create as normal an atmosphere as possible for their family.

They are already scrupulous in avoiding any hint of commercial gain

Even so, it has been predicted that in a world driven by mobile phones and instant purchases Charlotte’s choice of clothes could eventually be worth more than £3 billion to the UK economy across her lifetime.

Kate Mansey, royal writer and Assistant Editor of The Mail on Sunday says:

‘The last thing the Waleses will want is for Charlotte to become a fashion trend setter.

‘They’re already treading a delicate balance between allowing the world to see their children, allowing the public to have a relationship, while protecting their privacy.’