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Above: The
Churches have given Charlotte as much of a normal life as
possible and it's easy to see what a well-adjusted
14-year-old she has grown into. 'As a family, we've made
huge efforts to make sure she has stable people around
her,' says Maria. 'Charlotte's well grounded'
As
Charlotte's parent, what has been your proudest moment?
Maria:
To be honest, it was the way she handled herself during the
court case, which was with so much class and dignity. One of
the greatest moments was when we met President Clinton at
the White House. I had to pinch myself, it was so surreal.
Because we're Catholics, going to the Vatican to meet the
Pope was also incredible.
James:
I've always been incredibly proud of Charlotte, but it was
amazing when she sang at the White house and we met
President Clinton. I felt very honoured and we had a
fantastic time.
Are
you concerned about what the future holds for Charlotte?
Maria:
It hurts, because it's the one thing I'm not. All I've ever
tried to do is protect my daughter and I've done what I
believe any other mother would do. It was always Charlotte's
decision to take up the chance of a record contract. I
voiced my concern and Charlotte said that if she didn't go
for it now, she might never have the opportunity again.
Charlotte told me she didn't want to go through life
regretting her decision or blaming me for not letting her do
it. If she decided to finish her singing career tomorrow,
then I would support her. I wouldn't want Charlotte to
continue if she was unhappy.
James:
Charlotte's a sensible girl and has her close-knit bunch of
friends who keep her sane. It's almost as if she has two
lives - the famous successful career and the day-to-day
normal life in Cardiff.
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