The only daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium and Louise of Orléans, Charlotte was born at the Royal Castle of Laeken, Belgium.
She was named after her father's first wife, Princess Charlotte of Wales.
 Charlotte had three brothers: Louis-Philippe, who died in infancy; the future Leopold II of Belgium; and Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders.
She was close to her maternal grandmother, Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies, Queen of France, and the two regularly corresponded.

When Charlotte was ten years old, her mother, Queen Louise-Marie, died of tuberculosis and Charlotte was entrusted to the Countess of Hulst, a close family friend.
Although young, the princess had her own household; but for a few weeks out of the year, Charlotte stayed in Claremont with Maria Amalia and the rest of her mother's family in exile.

It was rumoured that, in 1866, Charlotte was having an affair with Belgian officer Colonel Alfred Van der Smissen and that she gave birth to a son, Maxime Weygand, in Brussels on 21 January 1867.
Weygand refused to confirm or deny the persistent rumor and his parentage remains uncertain.
Weygand was a French military commander in both World Wars I and II.
The only daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium and Louise of Orléans, Charlotte was born at the Royal Castle of Laeken, Belgium. She was named after her father's first wife, Princess Charlotte of Wales.  Charlotte had three brothers: Louis-Philippe, who died in infancy; the future Leopold II of Belgium; and Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders. She was close to her maternal grandmother, Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies, Queen of France, and the two regularly corresponded.
When Charlotte was ten years old, her mother, Queen Louise-Marie, died of tuberculosis and Charlotte was entrusted to the Countess of Hulst, a close family friend. Although young, the princess had her own household; but for a few weeks out of the year, Charlotte stayed in Claremont with Maria Amalia and the rest of her mother's family in exile.
It was rumoured that, in 1866, Charlotte was having an affair with Belgian officer Colonel Alfred Van der Smissen and that she gave birth to a son, Maxime Weygand, in Brussels on 21 January 1867. Weygand refused to confirm or deny the persistent rumor and his parentage remains uncertain. Weygand was a French military commander in both World Wars I and II.
Carlota of Mexico