After Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, King George VI ascended the throne.
This meant his firstborn child, the then-Princess Elizabeth, was next in line to the throne.
However, unlike the current heir, Prince Charles, Elizabeth never held the title of Princess of Wales. Why is that?
The Prince of Wales title is only ever given to the heir apparent - an heir whose claim cannot be set aside by the birth of another heir.
As there was always the possibility that her father could have a son who would displace her in the line of succession, Elizabeth was only ever known as heiress presumptive.
It was because of this possibility that Elizabeth wasn't invested as Princess of Wales.
At the time, the succession was governed by the principle of Male Preference Primogeniture.
This meant that, if Elizabeth's father King George VI had a son, even though Elizabeth was his eldest child, the son would have been heir to the throne.
However the Queen changed the rules regarding the line of succession before the birth of Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William’s son, Prince George, in 2013.
Instead of Male Preference Primogeniture, Absolute Primogeniture has now been established within the monarchy.
This means the Royal Family can now have a royal heiress apparent, meaning the firstborn of the monarch is the heir to the throne.
This opens the way for the creation of a future Princess of Wales in her own right.
What is the role of the Prince of Wales?
According to his official website: "The main part of The Prince of Wales's role as Heir to The Throne is to support Her Majesty The Queen as the focal point for national pride, unity and allegiance and bringing people together across all sections of society, representing stability and continuity, highlighting achievement, and emphasizing the importance of service and the voluntary sector by encouragement and example."
That means the prince represents the sovereign while welcoming foreign dignitaries or while traveling overseas.
His role also includes supporting the armed services, including performing ceremonial duties and supporting military personnel, as well as performing tours abroad as an ambassador of the crown and undertaking engagements for various organisations.
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