Princess Charlotte’s Past Titles
Prior to September 9, 2022, Princess Charlotte had two title changes
When she was born in 2015, Prince William and Princess Kate’s most senior titles were that of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and so their children used the “of Cambridge” suffix.
When Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, Prince William gained a new senior title of Duke of Cornwall. So, “Princess Charlotte of Cambridge” became “Princess Charlotte of Cornwall and Cambridge.”
What Title Will Princess Charlotte Have When Prince William Is King?
When Princess Charlotte reaches adulthood her titles could change yet again.
If and when she marries, the reigning monarch at the time could choose to give her a royal peerage, which has been the tradition for male children and grandchildren of the king or queen in the past century.
Royal author Robert Jobson suggested in his 2023 biography Our King: Charles III: The Man and The Monarch Revealed, that Charles wished for his granddaughter to one day take the title of “Duchess of Edinburgh.”
The current Duke of Edinburgh (Charles’ younger brother, Prince Edward) holds the title for his lifetime only, after which it will revert to the crown.
If Charlotte is not made a duchess in her own right by her grandfather or father (if William were to be on the throne at the time), she could be given the alternative title of “Princess Royal.”
Princess Royal is a title that is given by a monarch to their eldest daughter. There can only be one Princess Royal at any one time. The current holder of the title is Queen Elizabeth II’s only daughter, Princess Anne.
If, after Anne’s death, Prince William were to be on the throne, he could then choose to give the Princess Royal title to Charlotte.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek‘s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.
