How the Royal Family's titles will change

By Daily Mail UK | Sep. 9, 2022 | 12 Min read

King Charles III

Members of the royal family are seeing a title change following the death of Britain's longest reigning monarch, The Queen.

Britain is today mourning the death of its beloved Monarch, the Queen. After a remarkable 70 years on the throne, the country's longest-reigning royal yesterday died 'peacefully', aged 96, at Balmoral in Scotland.

Her death sparked an immediate and huge outpouring of emotion, with thousands of heartbroken mourners gathering outside the gates of Buckingham Palace and other royal buildings yesterday evening.

But her death has also sparked a change in title for a number of royal family members, including the former Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, and the Duke of Cambridge.

Some titles were automatically altered upon the death of the Queen due to the changing in the line of succession, such as Prince Charles becoming King and Archie Mountbatten-Windsor becoming a prince.

However other titles will be only be inherited if they are bestowed by Prince Charles. Prince William could be gifted the title of Prince of Wales from his father, while Prince Edward may become Duke of Edinburgh.

Here is how the royal family’s titles have changed following the death of the Queen:

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Charles

WAS: Prince of Wales

NOW: King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Charles, who was the Prince of Wales, is now King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He is also King of other Commonwealth realms. His style is His Majesty rather than His Royal Highness.

He is now king, and will be known by the regnal name of King Charles III, Clarence House has confirmed. As his full name is Charles Philip Arthur George there was a chance that he could have opted to use one of these names instead.

Charles is also Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Charles is now the Duke of Lancaster.

As the new King, Charles will be front-and-centre of the new-look monarchy. Alongside his reported desire to slim-down the size of the family, the biggest immediate change will be his residence.

The former Prince of Wales's official residence has been Clarence House, on The Mall in the City of Westminster, since 2003.

While the Queen's official residence has been Buckingham Palace, she spent much of her time at her favoured Windsor Castle following the death of her beloved Prince Philip.

According to royal biographer Penny Junor in her book 'The Firm', the Queen wanted to remain living at Clarence House after her father's death, but was convinced by Winston Churchill to move to Buckingham Palace - because of its significance as the home of the monarch.

It is believed Kings Charles will follow in his mother's footsteps and move into Buckingham Palace.

Camilla

WAS: Duchess of Cornwall and Princess of Wales

NOW: Queen Consort

Camilla is, as the wife of the King, the Queen. Her style is now Her Majesty rather than Her Royal Highness.

Camilla will now become Queen Consort after the Queen gave this approval. It is the title used by the Queen Mother, rather than a Queen Regnant who rules in her own right, such as Elizabeth II.

Technically, Charles's wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, has been the Princess of Wales until now, but she has used the feminine equivalent of Charles's Duke of Cornwall title, the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Duchess of Cornwall is thought to not use the Princess of Wales title out of respect for Charles's ex-wife Princess Diana, who died in Paris in August 1997.

William

WAS: Duke of Cambridge

NOW: Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge. He will also become Prince of Wales

The Duke of Cambridge, as heir to the throne, is now the Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge. As Charles’s eldest son, he has inherited the title the Duke of Cornwall.

William will, at some stage, be given the title the Prince of Wales - which is traditionally used for the male heir to the throne.

Since the Prince of Wales title isn't Charles's per se, but rather given to the heir apparent, he will vacate it the moment he ascends to the throne.

However, there is no automatic succession to the Prince of Wales title - the heir apparent has to be created Prince of Wales by the monarch.

The title is only 'merged in the crown' and renewed at the Sovereign's pleasure - which is why Charles became the 21st Prince of Wales not on the day of his birth, but rather aged nine in 1958.

He was only 'invested' - in the ceremony acknowledging the creation of a new Prince of Wales - 11 years later in 1969.

The same stands for the Earl of Chester.

William has also inherited the Scottish titles the Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

Kate

WAS: Duchess of Cambridge

NOW: The Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge. She will also become Princess of Wales

The Duchess of Cambridge is now the Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.

When William becomes the Prince of Wales as expected, Kate will become the Princess of Wales - last used by William’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, when she was married to Charles.

Camilla was also technically the Princess of Wales but never used the title because of its association with Diana.

Kate will also hold the title the Countess of Chester, if William becomes the Earl of Chester.

She is also now the Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland - also previously Camilla’s title.

George, Charlotte & Louis

WERE: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

NOW: Prince George of Cornwall and Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cornwall and Cambridge, and Prince Louis of Cornwall and Cambridge.

WILL BECOME: Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales

William and Kate’s children have become Prince George of Cornwall and Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cornwall and Cambridge, and Prince Louis of Cornwall and Cambridge.

They will eventually become ‘of Wales’ when William is the Prince of Wales.

Looking further ahead to when Prince William is on the throne, Prince George will become the 28th Prince of Wales. Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte will become Princess Royal.

Archie

WAS: Archie Mountbatten-Windsor

NOW: Prince Archie Mountbatten-Windsor

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor is now technically a prince due to rules set out by King George V in 1917. Archie is technically history's first Prince of Sussex.

When Archie was born he was too far down the line of succession for such a title according to George V’s restrictions, but now, as the son of a son of a sovereign, he can be an HRH and a prince.

Archie was allowed to become Earl of Dumbarton, one of the duke’s subsidiary titles, when he was born, or could have been known as Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, but Buckingham Palace said his parents had decided he should be plain Master Archie instead.

During the explosive Oprah Winfrey interview, Meghan Markle described her 'pain' as she claimed officials had denied Archie the title of prince and accused Buckingham Palace of failing to protect him by denying him 24/7 security.

When asked if it was 'important' for Meghan that Archie be called a prince, she said she doesn't have any attachment to the 'grandeur' of official titles.

But she said it was about 'the idea of our son not being safe, and also the idea of the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be.'

In 2021, it was suggested Charles - in a bid to limit the number of key royals - intended, when he became king, to prevent Archie becoming a prince.

To do so, he will have to issue a Letters Patent amending Archie’s right to be a prince.

Until that potentially happens, Archie remains a prince, whether his parents choose to use the title or not.

If it does not happen, Archie continues to technically be HRH Prince Archie of Sussex.

Meghan argued in the Sussexes' bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey that Archie was not given the title of prince because of his race.

Meghan said she and Harry wanted Archie to be a prince so he would have security and be protected.

But being a prince or princess does not automatically mean royals have police bodyguards paid for by the taxpayer, and the Sussexes have chosen to live in the US.

However, when Archie was born seventh in line to the throne in May 2019, he was too far down the line of succession.

Although he was a great-grandchild of the monarch, he was not a first-born son of a future king, so was not automatically a prince.

He could have previously used the courtesy title Earl of Dumbarton, or been Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

But Buckingham Palace said the duke and duchess made a personal decision that he should be plain Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor instead.

A royal source said following Archie's arrival that the couple had chosen not to give him a courtesy title 'at this time'.

Meghan told Oprah that, when she was pregnant with Archie, an unnamed member of the royal family had raised 'concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born'.

The Sussexes stopped using their own HRH styles after stepping down as senior working royals for a life in Los Angeles, and there were later calls for their duke and duchess titles to be removed.

If Harry and Meghan decide that Archie and Lili will be known as a prince and a princess, this will stand in direct contrast to how Harry has always spoken about the burden of having a title.

He repeatedly stressed the importance of wanting to be seen as normal and confessed in 2017 that he once 'wanted out' of the royal family - a wish that became a reality in 2020.

The former soldier said the time he spent in the Army, when he was 'just Harry', was 'the best escape I've ever had' and he had considered giving up his title.

Royal author Penny Junor said: 'He would have dearly liked to have been a normal boy growing up, and found his title very difficult.'

Lilibet

WAS: Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor

NOW: Princess Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor

Archie’s younger sister Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor is now technically a princess. If she uses the title, she will be HRH Princess Lili of Sussex. She is the first Princess of Sussex.

Like Archie, Charles would have to issue a Letters Patent to remove this.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s titles will not change. The couple have stopped using their HRH styles, but they still retain them.

Edward

WAS: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

COULD BECOME: Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Edward has been Earl of Wessex up till now. However, he could become Duke of Edinburgh following the Queen's death.

The dukedom was expected to be passed to Edward after Buckingham Palace announced in 1999 that he would succeed his father 'in due course' with both his parents' blessing.

He was instead granted the Earl of Wessex title by the Queen after his marriage to Sophie Rhys-Jones that same year.

But upon Prince Philip's death in April this year at age 99 the title immediately reverted to Philip's eldest son, Charles, in line with royal tradition set out in the Letters Patent issued when George VI gave Philip the title in 1947.

It was reported last year that Charles was deciding whether to grant the title to Edward, another member of his family, or leave it in abeyance.

He was said to be considering breaking the 1999 pledge as he assessed his own future, The Sunday Times said.

A source told the publication: 'The prince is the Duke of Edinburgh as it stands, and it is up to him what happens to the title. It will not go to Edward.'

And another said: 'Edinburgh won't go to them (the Wessexes) as far as the prince is concerned.'

The Duke of Edinburgh title will merge with the crown upon Charles' eventual accession to the throne meaning that it can be regranted anew to Edward.

The initial decision to give Edward the title was taken in recognition of his work with, and commitment to, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award - of which he is a trustee, as well as chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award.

Philip was the sixth person - including two Dukes of Gloucester and Edinburgh - to bear the title the Duke of Edinburgh.

If Edward did inherit the Edinburgh title, it would then pass to his own son, James, Viscount Severn, who is being raised to expect a life outside the Royal Family.

Sophie

WAS: Countess Sophie of Wessex

COULD BECOME: Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh

Sophie Wessex, wife of Prince Edward, has been Countess of Wessex up until the Queen's death.

However if Prince Edward is granted the title of Duke of Edinburgh by Prince Charles, Sophie would become Duchess of Edinburgh.

It was a courtesy title which was held by the Queen following her marriage.

Prince William becomes heir to the throne of the United Kingdom after Prince Charles 's accession following the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Prince William is now heir to the throne of the United Kingdom after Prince Charles's accession following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The 40-year-old Duke of Cambridge is expected to become the new Prince of Wales, with his wife Kate Middleton taking on the new title of the Princess of Wales.

William is the oldest royals among the top eight in line, and is followed by his three children Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four.

Following the Cambridges are Prince Harry, his children Archie and Lilibet, and then Prince Andrew and his two daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York.

William has become a hugely popular member of the Royal Family in recent years, with his wedding to Kate in April 2011 watched by an estimated two billion people.

The couple's down-to-earth nature and regular foreign trips have helped them engage with global communities, including one in Pakistan in October 2019.

William has also become more involved in royal matters, with a notable intervention after Prince Andrew's interview about his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

He is said to have spoken to the Queen and Prince Charles about Andrew's future following the disastrous interview and recommended his removal from public life.

The new heir was also said to have described his uncle as a 'threat' to the royal family and 'closed the door' on his return to public life.

Charles is now effectively king, although he is expected to be officially proclaimed as the monarch at an Accession Council meeting at St James's Palace in London.

Since the Prince of Wales title isn't Charles's per se, but rather given to the heir apparent, he will vacate it the moment he ascends to the throne.

However, there is no automatic succession to the Prince of Wales title - the heir apparent has to be created Prince of Wales by the monarch.

The title is only 'merged in the crown' and renewed at the Sovereign's pleasure - which is why Charles became the 21st Prince of Wales not on the day of his birth, but rather aged nine in 1958.

He was only 'invested' - in the ceremony acknowledging the creation of a new Prince of Wales - 11 years later in 1969.

Technically, Charles's wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, has been the Princess of Wales until now, but she has used the feminine equivalent of Charles's Duke of Cornwall title, the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Duchess of Cornwall is thought to not use the Princess of Wales title out of respect for Charles's ex-wife Princess Diana, who died in Paris in August 1997.

Camilla will now become Queen Consort after the Queen gave this approval.

Following the Queen's death, Charles also becomes head of the Commonwealth - and it has been claimed Harry will take a more active role in this.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex is now 13th in line ahead of his two children with Sophie - James, Viscount Severn, 14, and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, 15.

Edward's family is followed by Princess Anne, Princess Royal in 16th place - and her son Peter Phillips, along with his daughters Savannah and Isla Phillips.ollowing behind Mr Phillips is Zara Tindall in 20th and her two children with former rugby player Mike Tindall - Mia, Lena and Lucas Tindall.