Could Princess Beatrice's Royal Title Change After She's Married?
Most of the royal-watching world may focus intently on the queen, the Fab Four (Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle), and their children, but the British royal family is much more expansive than that. Among the most talked-about relatives are Prince Andrew's daughters are Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, two of William and Harry's first cousins.
The royal sisters have frequented headlines lately, especially because of their respective engagement and wedding news. Most recently, Beatrice announced her plans to marry Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, with a wedding set for 2020. Before the two say "I do" next year, here's what you need to know about the bride-to-be's royal title, what it means, and how it might change when she gets married.
What is Princess Beatrice's official royal title?
Beatrice's official royal title is Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York. This is because her father, Prince Andrew, is also the Duke of York.
Her middle names are Elizabeth Mary, making her full name Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York, which appears on her birth certificate.
Why is she a princess?
A Letters Patent issued by King George V in 1917 states that the sovereign's grandchildren can have "prince" or "princess" royal titles. Beatrice and Eugenie both qualify because they're granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth II (as daughters of Prince Andrew, the queen's son).
Not all of the queen's grandchildren have royal titles. For example, Beatrice and Eugenie's cousin, Zara Tindall—who is also the queen's granddaughter and Princess Anne's daughter—doesn't have one. Apparently, the sovereign offered to give Anne's children the honor, but Anne declined.
The queen can also step in to bestow titles on descendants who weren't covered by the Letters Patent. Before Princess Charlotte was born, the queen officially decreed that all of Prince William's children would automatically receive the prince or princess title, even though the royal tradition previously stated that only his oldest son (George) would be entitled to the honor. While Harry and Meghan's son, Archie, wasn't automatically entitled to the prince title, it's possible that, if his parents wanted him to have it, Her Majesty would have honored the request.
It's also worth noting that the position of the "princess" title has meaning, royal historian Marlene Koenig previously told Insider. A princess is styled by her own name if she's born royal (such as Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne, and Princess Charlotte), while a princess-by-marriage will, in official use, keep the title after her first name (like Diana, Princess of Wales), per Insider.
Will Princess Beatrice's royal title change when she gets married?
When Beatrice marries her fiancé, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, her title may change a bit. After her sister, Eugenie, got married to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018, the styling of her name changed from "Princess Eugenie of York" to "Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank," in the court circular, the official record of royal engagements.
If Beatrice follows suit, her name could be styled as "Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi" after her wedding. However, she has some time decide on that.
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