When it comes to the royal family, an individual's titles - and the rules and traditions around them - can be hugely important. While some indicate a royal's position in the hierarchy and reflect the line of succession, there are certain titles that hold more sentimental weight. Following the late Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022, Prince William and Kate Middleton were given the Prince and Princess of Wales titles, the latter of which had gone unused for over two decades following the death of Princess Diana, and royal experts have commented on the fact that Princess Charlotte will never be a Duchess; instead, she is set to inherit this hugely iconic title. Now, in a royal first for King Charles, we can expect to see the monarch bestow a new title upon his eldest son, Prince William.
On Friday 16th May, Charles and William will attend the Service of the Order of the Bath at Westminster Abbey. The event marks the Order's 300th anniversary, and will welcome members via invite-only. Those on the guest list include members of the royal family, senior civil servants and senior military personnel. It's a particularly special occasion for the King given that it will be his first time acting as Sovereign of the Order, and during the service he is also expected to name William as Great Master of the Order - a title which he himself was was given by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1975.
Since King Charles' cancer diagnosis in 2024, William has noticeably taken on more royal responsibilities. Over the last twelve months, he has stepped in for the monarch at several engagements and many royal experts have claimed that he is preparing for his future role as King. In a recent interview with The New York Times, historian Ed Owens said: "William has sometimes been seen as work-shy, but we see him gravitating toward bigger, more media-friendly events. He's burnishing his reputation as a statesman."
However, he added: "The job that William does not want, at least for now, is his father's. But fears over The King's health have made talk of succession inescapable."
