Princess Charlotte is Likely to Receive a Prestigious Title—But It Won’t Be for a Long Time

It could be 20 years or more before it’s hers.

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Princess Charlotte in a headpiece at King Charles#039; Coronation
(Image credit: Getty)

We know that the Prince and Princess of Wales’ eldest child, Prince George, will one day be king. But as for Princess Charlotte? Well, we’re not totally sure, though it could eventually be the Duchess of Edinburgh (currently held by Sophie, the wife of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh) or Princess Royal, a title currently carried by Princess Anne, the only sister of King Charles.

The prestigious Princess Royal title is generally held by the eldest daughter of a monarch—Anne is Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s only daughter, so that checks out here. There have only been seven Princesses Royal to date, the first being Princess Mary, the eldest daughter of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria, The Sun reports. 

Princess Charlotte at the Platinum Jubilee

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Princess Charlotte in a headpiece at King Charles#039; Coronation

(Image credit: Getty)

Princess Charlotte in a headpiece at King Charles#039; Coronation

(Image credit: Getty)

But here’s the catch: there can only be one living Princess Royal, and the title is bestowed until death. Anne is obviously very much still alive (and may she be for many, many years to come). Anne herself wasn’t given the title until 1987, when she was 36 years old, and Charlotte won’t be able to take on the title until two (well, really three) occurrences happen: Anne’s death, and William’s taking the throne (which would also require King Charles’ passing).

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Princess Anne in a tiara

Princess Anne, the current Princess Royal

(Image credit: Getty)

For example, when her father King George VI was on the throne, then-Princess Elizabeth would have been a fit for the Princess Royal title, but she couldn’t take it, as King George V’s daughter Princess Mary was still alive. Mary didn’t die until 1965, and by then, Queen Elizabeth had been on the throne for 13 years.

When Anne does pass away, the Princess Royal title will revert back to the Crown; as Charles has no daughters, it will remain vacant likely until Charlotte takes it over, whenever that may be.

Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon men#039;s singles final

(Image credit: Getty)

When William takes the throne, George would be the natural fit to inherit his father’s Prince of Wales title (just as William inherited the title from his father, Charles, who had held that title since 1969), and Prince Louis will likely gain a dukedom—either the Duke of Cambridge or the Duke of York.

Rachel Burchfield
Rachel Burchfield
Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.