Updates on Royal Family Title Changes in Wake of Queen Elizabeth’s Death

The death of Queen Elizabeth II means her son, the Prince of Wales, just got a big title change. King Charles III is now the head of state for the U.K. and 14 other Commonwealth realms. However, he’s not the only member of the royal family getting a new title.

Charles’ son, Prince William, will assume the title of the heir apparent and will become the Prince of Wales soon. William and his wife, Kate Middleton, have already assumed the title Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, even changing their official Twitter account to reflect that, notes Page Six. William and Kate will keep their titles as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The title of Prince of Wales will not come of William until an investiture at Caernarfon Castle, Carolyn Harris, author of Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting, told Page Six. Charles’ own investiture ceremony as Prince of Wales was not until 1969, 17 years after his mother became queen.

Charles’ youngest brother, Prince Edward, could become Duke of Edinburgh, a title Charles took after Prince Philip died in April 2021. “The title could be recreated for Prince Edward, who is currently giving out the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and took on a lot of Prince Philip’s charities,” Harris told Page Six. “But that will be up to Charles to decide whether he wants to recreate the title for his youngest brother.”

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will take the title of Queen Consort. She married Charles in 2005 and instantly became Princess of Wales, a title she has never used out of respect for the late Princess Diana. In February 2022, Queen Elizabeth said she would like Camilla to become known as “Queen Consort” instead of “Princess Consort.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle no longer have senior roles in the royal family, but Harry is still included in the line of succession to the throne. Their children, Archie and Lilibet, could become Prince and Princess. Under guidelines included in a 1917 Letters Patent by King George V, the children of the sovereign, the children of the sons of the sovereign, and the eldest male son of the Prince of Wales would be titled “prince and princess.” In 2012, Queen Elizabeth amended this rule so all of Prince Williams’ children would receive the titles. Princess Anne and Prince Edward both declined the titles for their children, so Prince Harry and Markle could also decline them.

There have also been rumors that Charles would not let Harry’s children take the titles. In June 2021, the Daily Mail reported that Charles had plans for a “slimmed-down” royal family when he takes the throne. It’s been speculated that he wants to keep titles, security, and financial support from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant reserved for the heirs to the throne and their immediate families.