Princess Charlotte to inherit royal title grander than duchess

Princess Charlotte will eventually move up the royal ranks when her father Prince William becomes king. Royal experts shared that she is likely to inherit the title currently held by Princess Anne.

She may only be six years old but she is already up for a much grander title than Duchess. She is currently styled as HRH or Her Royal Highness. Eventually, the young royal, who is the second child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, will become Princess Royal.

This is a title traditionally bestowed on the eldest daughter of the monarch. Princess Anne is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. It was introduced to follow the French royal title of Madame Royale in the 1600s.

Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe said that "it is a title that remains for life." But Princess Charlotte will have to wait a very long time to inherit it. He told Town & Country that she will have to "wait at least until the death of the current Princess Royal." The author of "Prince Harry: The Inside Story," likewise shared that it is also up to Prince William if he wants to bestow the title to his daughter.

In the meantime, she is called Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, thanks to her parents' titles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. She reportedly also goes by a different name at her school—Charlotte Cambridge. The same goes for her older brother Prince George, who is simply known in school as George Cambridge. They apparently omit their royal titles of Prince and Princess at school.

According to The Sun, this is a tradition that has been passed down from previous generations. Prince Harry and Prince William also used Wales as their their surname while in school, thanks to their father Prince Charles' title of Prince of Wales.

As for the current Princess Royal, Princess Anne reportedly had to wait for over twenty years before the title was passed down to her in 1987. It also comes with strict rules in dating. Larcombe said that "under British law, any man who sleeps with the Princess Royal before they are married is guilty of high treason, punishable by execution." It is then likely that Prince William and Kate Middleton will bestow the title to Princess Charlotte after she marries.