Why Princess Charlotte will not become a Duchess when she gets older

Did you know this?

Princess Charlotte duchess
(Image credit: Karwai Tang / Getty)

While Prince George and Prince Louis are likely to receive dukedoms when they are older, there's a royal rule which means that Princess Charlotte won't receive a Duchess title from the monarch.

If Prince George decides to get married, he will become a Duke - and may also inherit his father's title, the Prince of Wales, when his father Prince William eventually takes the throne.

However, Princess Charlotte will only become a Duchess if she decides to marry a Duke. Therefore, she won't automatically receive the title as it is royal tradition that it is only given to male descendants.

But the little royal may be given another title when William one day becomes King. Charlotte could become the Princess Royal, currently the title of the late Queen's daughter, Princess Anne. It is usually given to the monarch's eldest daughter, and as the Queen's only daughter it was automatically passed to her.

Charlotte is also the only daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton, making it likely that she will one day become the Princess Royal.

Royal author Duncan Larcombe told Town and Country magazine: "The title of Princess Royal is traditionally bestowed on the eldest daughter of the monarch.

"It is a title that remains for life, so Princess Charlotte will have to wait at least until the death of the current Princess Royal."

She may also be granted a peerage as a result of the new gender-equal succession rule.

Marlene Koenig, royal historian, told Hello! magazine: "Now with gender equal succession, I think it would be more possible to grant a peerage to Charlotte.

"Prince Louis will get one when he marries, so it would only be fair if Charlotte was named a Duchess on her wedding day.

"She and her children will be ahead of Louis' line in the succession."

So now you know!

Jadie Troy-Pryde
News Editor

Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.