What Will Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' Royal Titles Be When Dad William Is King?

If the royal family continues tradition, there are some exclusive titles in store for Prince William and Princess Kate's three children

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis may have some special royal titles in their futures.

With Prince William and Kate Middleton, the current Prince and Princess of Wales, set to be king and queen consort someday, it's likely that their three children will also receive new royal titles — some corresponding with their father's accession to the throne, and others not.

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Prince George, 10, is currently second in the line of succession to the throne behind his father. It's possible that Prince George will receive the title of duke when he gets married — although which dukedom he will get remains unclear. Queen Elizabeth bestowed duke titles on her grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry on their wedding days — Prince William became the Duke of Cambridge (making Kate the Duchess of Cambridge), while Prince Harry was titled the Duke of Sussex (making Meghan Markle the Duchess of Sussex). It's likely that King Charles will continue the tradition.

When Prince William becomes monarch upon the death of King Charles, Prince George will be the new heir apparent and the dukedoms of Cornwall and Rothesay, currently held by William, will automatically go to Prince George. However, the title of Duke of Cambridge will revert to the crown and be available to someone else.

It's also like that Prince George will become the Prince of Wales when his father accedes. However, the traditional title for the heir is not automatic — it must be bestowed by the monarch. King Charles officially named William and Kate as the Prince and Princess of Wales just one day after he became sovereign.

Princess Charlotte, 8, may someday become the Princess Royal, a title currently held by King Charles' sister, Princess Anne.

The title of Princess Royal is traditionally bestowed on the monarch’s eldest daughter. However, it's not a guarantee — it must be awarded rather than inherited. Princess Anne was given the title by her mother, Queen Elizabeth, in 1987 when she was 36 years old.

Only one living woman can be called the Princess Royal, which is why Queen Elizabeth never held the title: Her aunt, Princess Mary, possessed it until she died in 1965.

Since King Charles has no daughters, the next potential Princess Royal is Princess Charlotte. That, of course, is a long way off and dependent on two factors: Prince William would need to be king, and Princess Anne would need to no longer be alive.

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However, the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 may change everything. The act stated that birth order determines who will become the next king or queen of the U.K., regardless of gender. Had it not been in place, Princess Charlotte would have lost her spot when Princess Kate gave birth to her younger brother, Prince Louis.

Although the Princess Royal title is exclusive — there have only been seven women with the title of Princess Royal since its introduction — it has a lower status than a royal dukedom. So it’s possible that Princess Charlotte will be given a peerage when she gets married, making her a duchess instead. Ultimately, it will be a decision made by the current monarch.

And Kate and William’s daughter wouldn’t be the first with her name to hold the title! Charlotte, Princess Royal, was the daughter of King George III and used the title from 1789 to 1828.

Prince Louis, 5, may also someday receive a title that currently belongs to another family member. Prince Andrew is now the Duke of York, the traditional title for the monarch's second oldest son. Louis may be the next Duke of York, but he can't hold the title at the same time as his great-uncle.

Prince Harry, the second son of King Charles, did not receive the title of Duke of York because his uncle Prince Andrew, the current title holder, was still alive when King Charles became monarch.

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Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were born with His/Her Royal Highness titles, and they will keep those throughout their lives unless they are taken away. If Prince George becomes king as expected, he will trade "His Royal Highness" for "His Majesty."

Prince William and Princess Kate's three children experienced a title change in September when their great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth died and their grandfather King Charles acceded the throne. Based on their parents' titles, they were previously known as Prince George of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Prince Louis of Cambridge. When William and Kate became the Prince and Princess of Wales, the kids became Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales.

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In a less formal version of the "last name," the children are now known to their friends and teachers at school as George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales (rather than Cambridge, which they used before Sept. 2022).

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