Princess Charlotte, the second child and only daughter of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, is set to potentially inherit a prestigious title from her great aunt once her father assumes the throne.
While this transition may be far off in the future as her grandfather is next in line to become king, Princess Charlotte is already preparing to take on a significant role within the royal family.
Upon Prince William’s ascension to the throne, Princess Charlotte will eventually have the opportunity to claim the Princess Royal title currently held by Princess Anne.
Traditionally, the eldest daughter of a sovereign is bestowed with the Princess Royal title, but it can only be held by one royal at a time.
Princess Charlotte is poised to become the eighth Princess Royal, a title that will be passed on to her upon Princess Anne’s passing.
In the event that Princess Anne is still alive when Prince William becomes king, Princess Charlotte will have to wait for her turn to inherit the esteemed title.
The Princess Royal title has been historically reserved for the eldest daughter of the reigning monarch, with Princess Anne being appointed as the seventh Princess Royal in 1987, succeeding Princess Mary, King George V’s only daughter.
Prior to becoming queen, Queen Elizabeth II did not hold the title of Princess Royal due to the rule that prohibits two individuals from simultaneously bearing the designation.
Instead, she was known as Princess Elizabeth while her aunt, Princess Mary, held the title.
If Prince William assumes the throne while Princess Anne retains the Princess Royal title, Princess Charlotte will patiently await her chance to claim the honor.
The decision of whether to bestow the title of Princess Royal upon Princess Charlotte will ultimately rest with Prince William, as the title is held for life and is not automatically granted to the eldest daughter of the sovereign.
Historically, there has been a significant gap between the passing of one Princess Royal and the appointment of the next, as seen when Princess Anne received the title 22 years after Princess Mary’s death in 1965.
Additionally, when Prince Charles ascends to the throne, there will be a shift in titles within the royal family.
Prince William is expected to inherit his father’s current title and assume the role of Prince of Wales.
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