Changing names. Following Queen Elizabeth II‘s death, many of her family members will gain new titles — including Prince Charles, Prince WilliamAnd Duchess Kate.
The monarch died on Thursday, September 8th at the age of 96. The Prince of Wales, now 73, was made king. His coronation will not take place for several months though he is now officially called King Charles III. (While his mother acceded to the throne in February 1952, her formal coronation didn’t take place until June 1953.)
Charles addressed his mother’s death in an emotional statement on Thursday, with his official letterhead reading His Majesty the King.
“The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” he wrote. “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”
He added: “During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”
Queen Elizabeth II Joe Giddens/WPA Pool/Shutterstock
While the king’s title change holds the most importance, many other royals gained new monikers after the queen’s death. William, 40 years old, is now the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. This title was his father’s before he became king.
The title of Prince William will eventually be taken by the former military pilot. This title is reserved to the heir apparent. Charles vacated this office immediately after he became king. However, the title is not hereditable as it is merged in the crown. This means that William must be formally appointed as Prince of Wales by the new King. (Charles was named Prince of Wales at age 9, but he wasn’t formally invested until 1969, when he was 20.)
Kate, 40 years old, will become the new Princess Of Wales after William becomes Prince of Wales. The title was previously held by Charles’ wife, Camilla, Duchess, who became Queen Consort after Elizabeth’s death. William’s mother, Princess Diana, was also named the Princess of Wales following her 1981 marriage to Charles. After the couple divorced in 1996 the late royal was renamed Diana the Princess of Wales. She also lost the title Her Royal Highness.
Some of the youngest members in the royal family will also receive new titles. Their parents will not be affected. Prince HarryAnd Meghan MarkleIn January 2020, the senior working royals, Archie, 15-month-old Lili, and he, stepped down. They technically became prince and princess when Charles took over the throne.
Rules established by King George V in 1917 state that only grandchildren of the monarch can claim royal titles, which is why the duo weren’t previously eligible under Elizabeth’s reign. (William’s kids were an exception to this rule as the children of the Prince of Wales’ eldest son.)
Last year, royal biographer Andrew MortonTelled Us WeeklyArchie was offered the title Earl of Dumbarton. Harry, 37, & Meghan, 41 declined it because they were afraid their son would be ridiculed at school.
“[They] decided against that because they felt that the word ‘dumb’ in the word ‘Dumbarton’ would have been used as mockery when Archie went to school,” the Diana: Her True StoryOctober 2021, author explanation. “It shows you their sensitivity to image.”
Keep scrolling for a complete guide to which royal titles are changing after the queen’s death.
