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Despite holding the coveted position of eldest child, Charlotte Phillips is the shortest member of a very tall family... and the injustice still stings

Charlotte's brother, Jon - all 7ft 2 of him - with his niece, Alex

You'd think that at 5ft 9½, Charlotte Phillips, now in her early forties would feel good about her height. Not too small, not too big. She, however, feels that the fact that she's the shortest person in a very tall family has had an adverse affect on her life.

Charlotte's father is 6ft 5, her mother 6ft, her baby brother, 7ft 2 and her baby sister, 5ft 10½. That missing inch meant much to Charlotte when she was growing up. In fact, she'd argue that being the shortest has meant that in a way she didn't grow up.

In spite of being the eldest, she felt she lost her privileged position of dominance in the middle of a fight with her younger brother. He suddenly became aware that he was now taller than his sister - so he bit her finger and walked away - leaving his sister with the uncomfortable realisation that she had just lost her place as lead sibling... and it didn't stop there


Listen to Charlotte's tall tale