The Royal family's titles explained: From Queen Consort to Archie and Lilibet
Now that the King has conferred the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon his brother, Prince Edward, on his 59th birthday, a title reshuffle in the Royal family is underway once again.
It marks the latest change after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and ahead of King Charles III being crowned in Westminster Abbey on May 6.
In the same week that it was announced Edward would take on his late father’s title, it was also decided that the children of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would take on titles of their own.
Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, will now use their Prince and Princess titles under rules set out by King George V in 1917.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes said: “The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.”
The couple stopped using their own HRH styles after stepping down as senior working royals for a life in California.
As the changes were updated and marked on the Royal family’s official website, The Telegraph outlines what titles members of the Royal family currently hold.
Prince Edward
It was Prince Philip’s wish that Edward should inherit his title - the Duke of Edinburgh - after his death.
King Charles chose to coincide the recreation of the dukedom with Edward’s visit to Edinburgh on Friday, also on his 59th birthday.
The change means that his wife the Countess of Wessex, also known as Sophie, becomes the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The Scottish title will be conferred on the Duke for the duration of his lifetime and returned to the Crown upon his death.
It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not produce any revenue for the holder.
The couple’s daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, and son, Viscount Severn - who will become the new Earl of Wessex upon his father’s death - were allowed to be known as princess and prince as the children of the son of a monarch.
However, Edward and Sophie, with the Queen's permission, decided to use the courtesy titles of an earl instead.
Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor
When both Archie and Lilibet were born, they were too far down the line of succession to receive their Prince and Princess titles, according to George V’s restrictions.
However, as they are now children of the monarch’s son, they have automatically become Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet following the King's accession.
The change is in line with letters patent issued by George V in 1917, which conferred the title of Prince or Princess on male-line grandchildren of the sovereign.
Archie is technically history's first Prince of Sussex and ‘Lili’ the first Princess of Sussex.
Eventually Archie will be entitled to succeed Prince Harry as the Duke of Sussex.
While Meghan suggested in her bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey that Archie was not given the title of Prince because of his race, Buckingham Palace said it was because he was born too far down the line of succession.
Buckingham Palace offered the couple a courtesy title for Archie at the time, but the Sussexes declined, making a personal decision that he should be plain Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor instead.
The Duke of Sussex has repeatedly stressed the importance of wanting to be seen as normal and has always spoken about the burden of having a title.
However, the couple referred to their daughter as Princess Lilibet in a statement this week, revealing that she had been christened in California.
Their spokesman said: “I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3.”
The Royal family’s official website has also been updated to reflect the change, as they are not referred to online as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and children
In September last year, Prince William and his wife, Catherine, were given the titles Prince and Princess of Wales following the King’s accession to the throne.
After Queen Elizabeth’s death, Prince William also inherited the dukedom of Cornwall, becoming the Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge.
As the King’s eldest son, he inherited the dukedom, which means he now oversees the estate of the Duchy of Cornwall as well as making him entitled to the multimillion-pound annual net surplus from the estate.
He has also inherited the Scottish titles the Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.
Catherine is the first person to use the title of Princess of Wales since her late mother-in-law Diana, Princess of Wales.
Their three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - are now the Princes and Princess of Cornwall and Cambridge and will eventually become “of Wales”.
In his first speech to the nation as King, Charles said: “As my Heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me.
“He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall which I have undertaken for more than five decades.
“Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty.
“With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given.”
Queen Consort
Following the direct wishes of the late Queen, upon her death, Camilla became referred to as Queen Consort.
It is the official title given to the wife of a monarch.
At the King’s Coronation in May, Camilla will be crowned side-by-side with her husband, with the couple henceforth called the “King and Queen”.
It is also understood that Buckingham Palace may soon move to officially describe Camilla as Queen rather than Queen Consort following the coronation.
Last week, Camilla launched the Queen’s Reading Room – without the “Consort” – when she updated the name of her charity, the Duchess of Cornwall’s Reading Room.
It is likely that the Court Circular, the official register of Royal engagements, may soon reflect the change.
The Mail on Sunday, quoting a “well placed” royal source, reported: “There’s a view in the Palace that Queen Consort is cumbersome and it might be simpler for Camilla to be known just as the Queen when the time is right. Reading Room was a sign of that. Her Majesty is the Queen after all.
“There’s a feeling that the time will come when it’s simpler all round to refer to Camilla simply as our Queen. Until then she will be referred to as Queen Consort.”
The role of a Queen Consort is primarily to provide companionship to the monarch as well as moral and practical support during the sovereign's programme of public engagements, such as hosting heads of state or attending charity balls.
