The fourth in line to the throne has just been born, which, if you believe in thrones and lines, is wonderful news. And if you think they are questionable concepts, you probably aren’t too keen either on the scientifically unproven idea of astrology.

Both ideas have something to do with, ‘what we allow to have dominion over us.’ And to some extent, there’s a conflict. The notion of royalty implies that genetic inheritance is all. It only matters that you are from the right bloodline.

Astrology, by contrast, effectively says, ‘never mind what accidents of birth may be helping or hindering your progress, you have a birth chart that is full of opportunity if you know how to use it.’

Astrology is, of course, a very ancient belief system. So is the concept of royalty. Once, they were so strongly intertwined as to seem almost inseparable. Indeed, for centuries it was traditional to have an astrologer present at each and every royal birth, ready to cast a chart of the stars at the very moment that the regal infant drew his or her first breath. But in our modern, interconnected world, the astrologer can be miles away… just as long as someone in the hospital faithfully records the birth time. I’m taking on trust 8.34am. And on that basis, here’s what I’m saying…

Our new Princess is a steady, stable Taurean like her Great Grandmother the Queen. But that’s not the only factor influencing her birth chart… which strongly suggests she’ll slowly grow into a controversial character. But ‘slowly’ is the key word here. Her birth time, 8.34 am, means her rising sign is Cancer. She will be cautious and conscious of the impact that she has on others - which may not be ideal for someone who is due to spend her whole life fending off endless media attention. But at least it gives her something in common with her elder brother George, her father William and his mother, the long-lost, much missed, Diana. All three are (or were) Cancerians by Sun sign and thus, sensitive souls.

Her birth chart suggests she’ll form a close relationship with her brother, at least at first. An intensely Mercurial focus implies she may well prove a little sharper of mind and quicker on the uptake than George. Thus it is likely to be at around the same time, despite their slight difference in age, that they both become able to comprehend the terrible tale of what happened to their grandmother. This is likely to have a major lifelong impact on her, especially as her Moon in Libra implies a deeply philosophical side to her character. She will be a thinker, a questioner, and a person unafraid to entertain controversial thoughts.

Both she and George are very much children of the 21st century. Though they will no doubt be raised by people who do their best to instil them with old-fashioned ideas about 'Queen and country' or the supreme importance of the monarchy to the British constitution, it can only be a matter of time before this forward-thinking Princess begins to wonder what being royal really means. She may even wonder if it can possibly be right to help maintain such an archaic, institution? And she may have plenty of time to dwell on this.

Once, the average lifespan was much lower, even for kings and queens. Now, the royals are part of a national ageing population. Charles, if he takes the throne at all, may be over 70 by the time he ascends. And William, whenever the crown passes to him, also looks set to ‘live long and prosper (as they used to say in Star Trek). So if we all keep singing the national anthem and requesting divine assistance with regal longevity, little George’s time as a king may not even begin until he is a geriatric!

Will he and his new little sister remain allies and companions, even until old age? Some astrologers already fear that the seeds of sibling rivalry will soon be sown.

What if this young lady, as she grows into an old lady, becomes ever more resentful of a lifelong fight with her brother for her parents' attention that begins, before our very eyes, this very day? What if that should cause her to take against her older brother? And what if she decides to wreak revenge by turning herself into an ally of the disestablishmentarianists, dedicating her life to undermining the public’s very faith in the monarchy that George is waiting so patiently to rise to the top of?

Hidden within the astrology of today’s breaking news is an indication of much news that may break, one day in the future. But we can all, meanwhile, take comfort in the fact that the new little princess has a favourable, auspicious birth chart… and that she represents the wish we all have for positive future change.