DO teenage girls still want to be princesses?

One schoolgirl from Oxfordshire is proving they do, as she is in the running to be crowed the UK’s Teen Princess this year.

Charlotte Blower, 15, from Sunningwell near Abingdon, was scouted for the teen beauty pageant while out in Birmingham with friends.

She has already got through the initial heats and is looking for votes to get her into the finals in September.

She said: “I’ve always been quite interested in modelling, but I’d never really thought about being in a beauty pageant, or, at least, I’d never thought about it seriously. I definitely hadn’t realised how seriously people took them.”

The pupil at St Helen and St Katharine School, Abingdon, posed for pictures in a professional modelling shoot in London.

Her pictures have now been put on a website alongside around 40 other girls, aged between 13 and 15, for people to vote for their favourites.

A dozen will then go through to the finals, where they will be judged on their interviewing skills, catwalk talent and even their dancing.

Miss Blower said: “When I go back to school, I’m going to try to get people to vote for me.

“I’m feeling a mixture of emotions at the moment. I’m excited, but it’s also nervewracking.

“Some of the girls are absolutely stunning, and I often wonder whether I am good enough. But I’ve got through to this stage, so hopefully I can go further.”

Charlotte said that although beauty pageants for teenagers were not the norm, it was all good experience.

The Teen Princess contest is the UK’s first beauty pageant for girls of that age, and was launched in 2006. Winners go on to international competitions.

Charlotte said: “Obviously I’m not making a career out of this as modelling is all so unpredictable. I just thought it would be fun.”

She added: “My parents have been really supportive too.

“I don’t think Dad was keen at first, but they’ll support me in whatever I want to do.”

Mum Joanne said: “We are absolutely delighted that Charlotte has made it so far in the competition.

“She has always had a dream of becoming a model and has worked really hard to get this far. Hopefully this will be the first step to realising her ambitions.”

To vote for Miss Blower, text TP05 to 81319. Texts cost 75p and all proceeds go to the Make a Wish Foundation, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses.