When Prince William eventually becomes King of the UK, there will be a lot of changes to the royal family line of succession. While Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis may hold these titles today as the son and daughter of the Prince of Wales, their official styles and peerages will be significantly different once their father takes the throne.
The way royal titles are transferred reveals a complex system involving statutory rules of centuries-old, automatic successions to peerages, and royal discretionary grants by the Sovereign.
Prince George: immediate titles and monarchy prerogative
As the son of Prince William, Prince George, currently second in line to the throne will become the heir apparent as soon as his father inherits the crown. Prince George will receive both automatically and discretely conferred future titles which involve different procedures:
1. Automatic Peerages: the Duke of Cornwall
Unlike Prince of Wales, the Duchy of Cornwall passes directly, the wording of the 1337 charter laid out by Edward III states that its private land and revenue-generating real estate portfolio automatically transfers to the Sovereign’s eldest living son who is heir.
Furthermore, Prince George will automatically inherit ancient titles allocated to the heir apparent which can only be held in Scotland:
Duke of Rothesay
Earl of Carrick
Baron of Renfrew
Lord of the Isles
Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
2. Title by Royal Pronouncement: Prince of Wales
Prince George will not automatically become the Prince of Wales when Prince William ascends. Though he will instantly be the heir apparent instantly however, Prince of Wales can only be granted by the monarch through an official proclamation and declaration of his intention through a royal decree.
For example, when Prince William was created Prince of Wales by King Charles III the day after Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022, King William himself immediately made an announcement.
In order to preserve and celebrate the ancient status and privileges of the Prince of Wales title, King William may declare George his Princess of Wales immediately upon accession or after his majority.
What Happens to the ‘Duke of Cambridge’ Title?
Queen Elizabeth II bestowed Prince William the title of Duke of Cambridge on the eve of his marriage in April 2011, following royal precedent for the Prince. Upon accession, all peerages held by the Sovereign are merged with the crown, thus no successor is able to obtain title. King William’s peerages will revert to the Crown for the use of whomever he may choose in the future.
Princess Charlotte: a future Princess Royal?
Princess Charlotte will not receive the title of Prince of Wales when her father becomes King. A tradition for centuries, the Prince of Wales female consort may traditionally and conventionally receive the title of the Princess of Wales such as Catherine, Princess of Wales, and the late Princess Diana, to whom the title of Princess of Wales had been granted by Queen Elizabeth II at the time of her betrothal to Prince Charles. Hence, when Prince George becomes Prince of Wales, should he marry, his future spouse will receive this title of the Princess of Wales.
How the title is obtained: the Princess Royal traditionally inherits the status of Princess Royal when she is the eldest daughter of the reigning monarch. It was last bestowed on Princess Anne in 1987 as a life honour granted by Queen Elizabeth II.
Life tenure: it is a lifetime honor, making it impossible for Prince Charlotte to inherit this status from her great aunt while she is alive.
The Sovereign’s Prerogative: the new Sovereign does not inherently receive this honorary appointment. King William will need to issue an official grant and royal proclamation if Prince Charlotte is to be made Princess Royal.
Prince Louis: Royal Dukedoms and the Sovereign’s choice
For Prince William’s younger son, Prince Louis, the acquisition of the next title will come through a number of avenues, with a great deal resting on King William’s future choice:
No automatic grant of a peerage: younger sons of the Sovereign do not receive further titles solely on the occasion of their father’s accession to the throne.
Traditional Royal Dukedom: it is customary and traditional for royal younger sons to receive a Royal Dukedom on their wedding day or upon reaching adulthood, with King William being no exception as Prince George is the current Duke of Cornwall.
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The title of Duke of York: Traditionally a second son in the royal line has been given this title, which is presently held by Prince Andrew; peerages, however, will only return to the Crown if the holder dies without an heir or the title is revoked to fall into the custody of the Crown where the Sovereig