A Guide to the Royal Family's Official Titles (Including a Few New Ones)

Chris Jackson/Getty Images Trooping the Colour 2018

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 8, the British royal family's names and titles will be undergoing many changes.

Most notably, the Queen's eldest son Charles assumed the role of king, effectively immediately, becoming King Charles III.

"Today the Crown passes — as it is has done for more than a thousand years — to our new monarch, our new head of state: His Majesty King Charles III," Prime Minister Liz Truss announced at the time. "With the King's family, we mourn the loss of his mother. And as we mourn, we must come together as a people to support him. To help him bear the awesome responsibility that he now carries for us all. We offer him our loyalty and devotion just as his mother devoted so much to so many for so long. And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country — exactly as Her Majesty would have wished — by saying the words: God save the King."

Additionally, other members of the royal family are taking on new titles as a result of the shift in the line of succession.

From Prince William and Kate Middleton's new titles to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children becoming a prince and princess, here's everything you need to know about the royal titles.

RELATED: King Charles III's Coronation: Everything to Know About the Ceremony and Celebration

Charles

Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Prince Charles

Upon Queen Elizabeth's death, the former Prince Charles immediately acceded the throne and became known as King Charles.

Camilla

Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images

As the wife of the King, Camilla will now be styled as Queen Consort, an honor Queen Elizabeth directly expressed her wishes for in February 2022 ahead of her death. Like past wives of monarchs, she will commonly be styled without the "consort" part of her title — Queen Camilla.

"In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage seventeen years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort," King Charles said of Camilla in his speech on Sept. 9, 2022. "I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much."

Prince William 

TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Prince William

Prince William has been known as the Duke of Cambridge since the title was bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth on his April 2011 wedding day to Kate Middleton.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, the official @KensingtonRoyal Twitter and Instagram accounts were updated as belonging to the "Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge," as the Duke of Cornwall is traditionally held by the eldest son of the reigning British monarch, with his wife taking the Duchess title.

In his speech on Sept. 9, King Charles confirmed that William will also take on the title of Prince of Wales, which was formerly held by Charles. The male heir to the throne usually takes on the Prince of Wales titles, although it is not automatic and must be bestowed by the monarch.

Kate Middleton

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Kate Middleton

Like her husband, Kate was given the title of the Duchess of Cambridge on her wedding day in April 2011. She became the Duchess of Cornwall following Queen Elizabeth's death.

In King Charles's first speech as monarch, he also confirmed that Kate will take on the title of the Princess of Wales, which was formerly held by Prince William's late mother, Princess Diana. Though Kate is listed as the "Princess of the United Kingdom" on her children's birth certificates, this marks the first time she has taken on the princess title officially.

Prince George 

Karwai Tang/WireImage Prince George

The official title for Prince William and Princess Kate's first child, who is second in line to the throne behind his father, is now His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales.

He previously used "of Cambridge" (or simply "Cambridge" for things like school) after his parents' highest title, which has now been replaced by their Prince and Princess of Wales titles. The change was reflected on the royal family's website soon after Queen Elizabeth's death and appeared in the Order of Service for the late monarch's funeral.

Princess Charlotte

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Princess Charlotte

The official title for William and Kate's second child is now Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Wales.

Prince Louis

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Like his siblings, the official title for William and Kate's third child is now His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Wales.

Prince Harry

Chris Jackson/Getty for Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023

In 2018, Prince Harry was made Duke of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of his wedding to Meghan Markle.

After stepping back as senior members of the royal family in 2020, Meghan and Harry retained their His/Her Highness titles but no longer use them.

Meghan Markle

PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle was given the title Duchess of Sussex on the occasion of her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry.

Though she and Harry retained their His/Her Highness titles after stepping back as senior members of the royal family in 2020, they no longer use them.

Archie

Sussex Royals Prince Harry and son Archie

When Prince Harry and Meghan's first son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born, he wasn't given a prince title. Under the guidelines in place at the time, great-grandchildren of the monarch are not princes or princesses, except for children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales, which is why Prince William and Kate Middleton's children are Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Archie was entitled to the "courtesy title" of Earl of Dumbarton upon his birth. However, the couple announced that they had not given him a courtesy title and he would be known as Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

Once King Charles became monarch, Prince Harry and Meghan's two children were automatically entitled to prince and princess titles as the children of the son of a monarch. However, these titles were not reflected until March 2023, when they were updated on the royal family's website.

Lilibet

Misan Harriman Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's daughter Princess Lilibet

Like big brother Archie, Prince Harry and Meghan's daughter's name was announced as Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor following her birth.

Once King Charles became monarch, Prince Harry and Meghan's two children were automatically entitled to prince and princess titles as the children of the son of a monarch. However, these titles were not reflected until March 2023, when they were updated on the royal family's website.

Princess Beatrice

Dave Benett/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Princess Beatrice was previously styled as "Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York," a reference to her parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, the Duke and Duchess of York.

After she married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in July 2020, her name became styled as "Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi."

Princess Eugenie

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

Similar to her sister Beatrice, Princess Eugenie underwent a similar change in her title after her October 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank. Her title of "Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York" is now stylized as "Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank."

Prince Edward

Chris Jackson/Getty Images Prince Edward

Queen Elizabeth's youngest son Prince Edward was a prince from birth, but he was given a earldom when he married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999. He was known as the Earl of Wessex until his 59th birthday in 2023, when King Charles named his brother as the Duke of Edinburgh, the royal title that previously belonged to their father, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021.

"His Majesty The King has been pleased to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, on the occasion of His Royal Highness's 59th birthday," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "The title will be held by Prince Edward for His Royal Highness's lifetime."

"The Dukedom was last created for Prince Philip in 1947, upon his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, who held the title of Duchess of Edinburgh before acceding to the throne in 1952," the release added. "The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are proud to continue Prince Philip's legacy of promoting opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to reach their full potential."

Prince Edward retains the Earl of Wessex and Forfar titles, and now his son, James, is styled as the son of a duke — using "Earl of Wessex."

Sophie Rhys-Jones

Dominic Lipinski/WPA Pool/Getty Sophie, Countess of Wessex

Sophie Rhys-Jones became Sophie, the Countess of Wessex upon her 1999 wedding to Prince Edward. Queen Elizabeth later made the couple the Earl and Wessex of Forfar as well.

When King Charles named Prince Edward as the Duke of Edinburgh in March 2023, Sophie became the Duchess of Edinburgh — a very special title, as it was previously held by her mother-in-law before her accession to the throne as Queen Elizabeth.