Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, the only daughter of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is currently a princess of the United Kingdom. However, when her father Prince William becomes king, Charlotte’s title will change. So what will Princess Charlotte’s title be when her father becomes king?
What is Princess Charlotte’s current title?
Princess Charlotte was born on May 2, 2015 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. As the daughter of Prince William, who is currently second in line to the British throne, Charlotte was given the title “Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge” at birth. This makes her a princess of the United Kingdom.
Charlotte’s full title follows the British royal tradition of using the father’s peerage for any children. Prince William holds the title Duke of Cambridge, so Charlotte is known as Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.
Charlotte also goes by the honorary title of Lady Charlotte Mountbatten-Windsor. All descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip can use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor when required.
How will Princess Charlotte’s title change when Prince William becomes king?
Under current British royal rules, Charlotte’s title will automatically change when her father Prince William ascends to the throne. She will no longer be Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. Instead, she will take on one of two new titles:
- Princess Royal
- Princess Charlotte, The Duchess of [Dukedom]
Option 1: Princess Royal
If Charlotte is given the title Princess Royal, she will be styled as “Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte, The Princess Royal.”
The title Princess Royal is traditionally bestowed by the British monarch on their eldest daughter. It is currently held by Princess Anne, who was given the title in 1987 by Queen Elizabeth II.
When Prince William becomes king, he could choose to grant the Princess Royal title to Charlotte, his eldest daughter. If so, she would be known as Princess Charlotte, The Princess Royal until the end of her life.
Option 2: A Dukedom
The second option is for Charlotte to take a dukedom, similar to princesses in the past. In this case, she would become “Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte, The Duchess of [Dukedom].”
The dukedom given to Charlotte would likely be one historically associated with the royal family. Some possibilities are:
- Duchess of York
- Duchess of Clarence
- Duchess of Sussex
- Duchess of Gloucester
For example, if Prince William chose to make his daughter Duchess of York, her new title would be “Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte, The Duchess of York.”
What will Prince George and Prince Louis’s titles be?
Charlotte’s brothers Prince George and Prince Louis will also see their titles change when Prince William becomes king.
Prince George
As the eldest son of the monarch, George will likely take on the title Prince of Wales, following the tradition of male heirs apparent. So when Prince William is king, Prince George could become “His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales.”
George would also inherit the Scottish titles Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.
Prince Louis
The title for the second son of the monarch, like Prince Louis, is less clear. He may become “His Royal Highness Prince Louis, Duke of [Dukedom].” Some dukedoms he could receive include:
- Duke of York
- Duke of Gloucester
- Duke of Kent
For instance, Prince Louis could be known as HRH Prince Louis, Duke of York when Prince William is king.
When will the title changes happen?
Princess Charlotte and her siblings will have to wait some years before their royal titles officially change. That’s because the title shifts will only happen once their grandfather Prince Charles and then their father Prince William have each ascended the throne.
At present, Prince Charles is first in line as the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II. When Queen Elizabeth II passes away or steps down, Prince Charles will become king.
Once Charles takes the throne, Prince William will move up to become the heir apparent as Charles’ eldest son. Only when Charles dies or abdicates will William finally become king.
Experts predict this succession will likely happen in the next 20-30 years. So Charlotte may have to wait until at least her 30s before she receives a new title of Princess Royal or a duchess.
Special cases
There are a few special circumstances that could affect Princess Charlotte’s future title:
Charlotte marries a prince
If Princess Charlotte marries a prince, she may retain the title Princess Charlotte along with her husband’s titles. For example, if she married Prince Frederik of Denmark, she could be known as “Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte, Princess of Denmark.”
Charlotte marries a commoner
If Charlotte marries someone without royal or noble status, she would likely take her husband’s last name as a surname, but retain the title Princess Charlotte. For instance, if she married John Smith, she may go by “Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte Smith.”
A younger brother is born
If Prince William and Kate have another son who is born before Prince William is king, the line of succession could change. In that case, the new younger brother could become Prince of Wales when William is king, moving Charlotte down in the line. This would likely affect the dukedom Charlotte is granted.
The title Princess Royal is removed
There is some speculation that when Prince Charles takes the throne, he may choose to eliminate the Princess Royal title. If the title is removed before Prince William becomes king, Princess Charlotte would not be eligible to receive it.
Conclusion
In summary, when Prince William ascends to the throne, his daughter Princess Charlotte will receive either the title Princess Royal or become a duchess. Common options are Princess Royal, Duchess of York, Duchess of Sussex, or Duchess of Clarence. The exact future title for Princess Charlotte will depend on the circumstances at the time, but she is guaranteed to gain a higher royal title.
Her brother Prince George will likely become Prince of Wales when Prince William is king, while Prince Louis may become Duke of York or another royal dukedom. However, the young royals will have to wait 20-30 years before these title changes take effect when their father becomes king.
Princess Charlotte’s future elevation in status will mark an exciting new era for the British royal family. Many royal fans eagerly await the day when Charlotte and her siblings hold the highest royal titles as the children of the monarch.
| Name | Current Title | Future Title Possibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Princess Charlotte | Princess Charlotte of Cambridge | Princess Royal or Duchess of York, Duchess of Sussex, Duchess of Clarence |
| Prince George | Prince George of Cambridge | Prince of Wales |
| Prince Louis | Prince Louis of Cambridge | Duke of York, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Kent |
