Princess Charlotte might only be 11, but one day, her father, Prince William, will become King. It’s a lot of responsibility for a tween to take on, but one matter that royal watchers have wondered about for years is which title Charlotte will be granted when she’s an adult. Speaking to Hello! magazine, royal biographer Robert Jobson shared two of the possibilities ahead for Prince William and Princess Kate’s only daughter.
Traditionally, a monarch’s eldest daughter is given the title of the Princess Royal. In Queen Elizabeth’s case, her only daughter, Princess Anne, was granted the title. But the title is not hereditary, meaning it can’t be passed down to Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall. Princess Anne will hold her title for life, but once she dies, it will return to the Crown.
However, Jobson said that it’s not necessarily a given that Prince William will make Charlotte the Princess Royal. “I was told The King wanted to reserve the Duchess of Edinburgh role for her, which could happen,” the author told Hello!
Currently, Prince Edward's wife, Sophie, holds the title of Duchess of Edinburgh. But once Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, dies, the dukedom will revert to the Crown. This makes it possible for Princess Charlotte to be given the duchess title one day in her own right. Sophie, if she outlives Edward, will likely be down as the Dowager Duchess of Edinburgh.
As for when Charlotte receives a title, there's no set time. Although Prince William and Princess Kate were named the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their wedding day, Princess Anne didn't become the Princess Royal until 1987, nearly 15 years after her first marriage.
However, other Princess Royals in history where given the title at birth or upon their 18th birthday, so Prince William could choose to go a different route with his only daughter. For now, Princess Charlotte is busy being a student at Lambrook School, playing with her brothers George and Louis, and enjoying the family's new dog, Otto, who makes a sweet appearance in her 11th birthday video.
