British princess explained

The use of the title of Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is entirely at the will of the sovereign, and is now expressed in letters patent. Individuals holding the title of princess will usually also be granted the style of Her Royal Highness (HRH). The current letters patent were issued in 1917 during the World War I, with one extension in 2012.

Between 1714 and 1917, pursuant to the then custom, daughters of the monarch and daughters of male-line descendants of a monarch were accorded the rank of a British princess. King George V issued letters patent on 30 November 1917 (issue 30428, Dec. 14, 1917, p. 2.), predefining who held the title, style and rank of a British Princess^[1] to restrict the automatic assignment of the title "princess" and the use of the style "Royal Highness" to the following persons:

the legitimate daughters of a British Sovereign
the legitimate male line granddaughters of a British sovereign.

On 31 December 2012, Queen Elizabeth II issued letters patent enabling daughters of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales to hold the title princess and style Royal Highness, as opposed to only the eldest son (the 1917 patent having extended "prince" to his eldest living son).

The wife of a British prince whose marriage has been approved by the British Sovereign is automatically entitled to the feminine form of her husband's titles by long established tradition.

Princesses of the royal blood and princesses by marriage

Under the current practice, princesses of the royal blood are the legitimate daughters and the legitimate male line granddaughters of a British sovereign. They are dynasts, that is potential successors to the throne. For these individuals, the title "Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" and the style "Her Royal Highness" is an entitlement for life. The title Princess and the style Royal Highness is prefixed to the Christian name, before another title of honour. From 1714 until 1917, the male-line great-granddaughters of the Sovereign were titled "Princess of Great Britain and Ireland" with the style "Highness". Since 1917, the male-line great-granddaughters of the Sovereign have held "the style and title enjoyed by the children of dukes". For example, the daughters of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a male line grandson of George V, are styled Lady Davina Windsor and Lady Rose Gilman.

The legal wife of a British prince is also entitled to the status and rank of a British princess. If their husband is not the holder of his own substantive title, then the wife of a British prince has the right to be styled as Princess followed by their husband's first given name.^[2] However, if their husband is the holder of either a Dukedom or an Earldom then this takes precedence.^[3] For example, upon her marriage to Prince Michael of Kent in 1978, Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz assumed the title and style of "Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent". Similarly, upon her marriage to then Prince Richard of Gloucester, the former Birgitte van Deurs assumed the title and style of "Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester". Upon marriage, the wife of the prince of Wales becomes "Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales". Upon marriage, the wife of a royal duke (or earl) becomes "Her Royal Highness The Duchess (or Countess) of X". When Prince Richard of Gloucester succeeded to his father's dukedom in 1974, his wife became "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester". Since 1714, only four princesses were at marriage known in their title by their husband's name, since all the others took the duchess form of the royal duke's title. The four are Princess George of Cumberland, Princess Arthur of Connaught, Princess Richard of Gloucester and Princess Michael of Kent.

Princesses by marriage are entitled to the style "Royal Highness" by virtue of marriage, and retain the style if widowed. However, Elizabeth II issued letters patent dated 21 August 1996 stating that any woman divorced from a prince of the United Kingdom would no longer be entitled to the style "Royal Highness". This has so far applied to Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York. The title of HRH is not intrinsically linked to the title of Princess. Diana was restyled as "Diana, Princess of Wales" following her divorce as a courtesy of the late Queen Elizabeth II having been officially styled as The Princess of Wales during marriage. If Diana had ever remarried then she would have lost the right to the style and title completely.

Since the passage of the Royal Marriages Act 1772, there were a few instances in the reign of King George III in which princes of the blood contracted marriages without consent of the king. This meant they were not legally married, denying the woman the lawful style "Her Royal Highness", as well as any title in the peerage. For example, Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, a male-line grandson of King George III, 'married' Sarah Louisa Fairbrother: the marriage was in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act, and therefore legally invalid. Accordingly, the duke's wife was never titled the Duchess of Cambridge or accorded the style "Her Royal Highness". Instead, she was known as "Mrs FitzGeorge". An exception to the rule was created for King Edward VIII following his 1936 abdication. King George VI issued letters patent dated 27 May 1937 that entitled The Duke of Windsor, as Edward was now entitled, "to hold and enjoy for himself only the title style or attribute of Royal Highness so however that his wife and descendants if any shall not hold the said title style or attribute".

There is also the case when a princess of blood royal marries a British prince. She also becomes a princess by marriage and will be addressed in the same way. An example of this situation was the late Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife, when she married her cousin Prince Arthur of Connaught and became "Princess Arthur of Connaught, Duchess of Fife".

Typically a princess by marriage should not be called princess followed by her first name. Diana, Princess of Wales, was consistently referred to as "Princess Diana" by fans and the media, but this usage of the title is technically erroneous, as she was not the child of a monarch nor the child of a son of a monarch.^[4] However, this tradition was broken once in the past century with Elizabeth II's aunt, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, being referred to—with permission from the sovereign—in official sources as such following the death of her husband.

History

The use of the titles prince and princess and the styles of Highness and Royal Highness for members of the Royal Family is of fairly recent usage in the British Isles. Before 1714, there was no settled practice regarding the use of the titles prince and princess other than the heir apparent and his wife. From 1301 onward, the eldest sons of the Kings of England (and later Great Britain and the United Kingdom) have generally^[5] been created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester. Their wives were titled Princess of Wales.

The title Princess Royal came into being in 1642^[6] when Queen Henrietta Maria, the French-born wife of King Charles I, wished to imitate the way the eldest daughter of the French King was styled Madame Royale. However, there was no settled practice on the use of the title princess for the Sovereign's younger daughters or male-line granddaughters. For example, as late as the time of King Charles II, the daughters of his brother James, Duke of York, both of whom became Queens regnant, were called simply "The Lady Mary" and "The Lady Anne". The future Queen Anne was styled princess in her marriage treaty to Prince George of Denmark and then styled "Princess Anne of Denmark" once married. However, in exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the deposed James II & VII gave the title of Princess Royal to his last daughter, Louisa Maria (1692–1712).

After the accession of George Louis of Hanover as King George I, the children, grandchildren, and male line great-grandchildren of the British Sovereign were automatically titled "Prince or Princess of Great Britain and Ireland" and styled "Royal Highness" (in the case of children and grandchildren) or "Highness" (in the case of male line great-grandchildren). Queen Victoria confirmed this practice in letters patent dated 30 January 1864 (the first Act of the Prerogative dealing with the princely title in general terms).^[7]

On 31 December 2012, Elizabeth II issued letters patent enabling all children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales to enjoy the princely title and style of Royal Highness, as opposed to only the eldest son.^[8]

Styling of princesses

Princesses of the royal blood

Daughter of a Sovereign: HRH The Princess N (e.g. HRH The Princess Margaret).
- The style HRH The Princess Royal is customarily (but not automatically) granted by the Sovereign, when vacant, to the Sovereign's eldest daughter.^[9]
Daughter of a son of a Sovereign: HRH Princess N of X, where X is the territorial designation of their father's senior peerage; e.g. HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent, HRH Princess Charlotte of Wales, HRH Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
- Prior to Princess Charlotte, a daughter of the Prince of Wales: HRH Princess N
- Prior to 1917, a daughter of a son of a son of a Sovereign: HH Princess N of X
From 31 December 2012, daughter of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales: HRH Princess N of X (e.g. HRH Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, until 2022).

When a princess marries, she still takes on her husband's title. If the title is higher than (or equal to) the one she possesses, she will normally be styled using the female equivalent.^[10] If her husband has a lower title or style, her style as a princess remains in use, although it may then be combined with her style by marriage, e.g. HRH The Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll or HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone – if that princess had a territorial designation, she may cease its use. It has become customary, however, for a princess who has been granted the title of HRH The Princess Royal to not combine it with her style by marriage: Princess Anne remains HRH The Princess Royal rather than HRH The Princess Royal, Lady Laurence.^[11] ^[12]

Princesses by marriage

A princess by marriage is addressed as "Princess Husband's name"; this is akin to a woman being referred to as "Mrs. John Smith". The only recent time this has broken tradition is with the sovereign's express consent. Namely, with Queen Elizabeth II's aunts Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. The former was not a princess by birth, while the latter was born a princess of Greece and Denmark. Both women asked the Queen to use their given names after their husbands' deaths.^[13]

Wife of a prince who has a peerage: HRH The Duchess/Countess of X, or, prior to 1917, possibly HH (e.g. HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh and HRH The Duchess of Sussex)
- Since 1996, divorced wife of a prince who held a peerage: N, Duchess/Countess of X. (e.g. Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York)
Wife of a son of a Sovereign, who has no peerage: HRH The Princess Husband.
Wife of another prince who has no peerage: HRH Princess Husband of X. (X usually taken from father's Dukedom; e.g. HRH Princess Michael of Kent)
Prior to 1917, the wife of a prince in the third generation, who has no peerage: HH Princess Husband of X.

Exceptions

There were only two historical princesses who would have been exceptions to the 1917 rule, but they died long before that. The sisters Sophia Matilda and Caroline Augusta Maria born in 1773 and 1774 were male line great-granddaughters of George II. All of the other exceptions were still alive in 1917 and were no longer permitted to use the style of HRH and Princess.

There have been several exceptions in recent history to these rules, but all have come by order of the Sovereign, mostly through letters patent.

In November 1905, King Edward VII allowed the two daughters of Louise, Princess Royal to use a princely title and the style of Highness.^[14] They were not entitled to the style of Royal Highness. The 1917 letters patent which stripped great-grandchildren of a British sovereign of the style of Highness with a princely title was complicated as it did not technically overrule Edward VII's letters patent, as the former practice was mostly an unspoken courtesy as opposed to a written rule. The elder sister, Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife, was already married by that time, to Prince Arthur of Connaught: he was a male-line grandson of Victoria, and so entitled to use the style of Royal Highness. Alexandra was therefore styled Her Royal Highness Princess Arthur of Connaught from her 1913 marriage for the rest of her life, and the 1917 letters patent did not change this. Her younger sister, Princess Maud, on the other hand, was unmarried in 1917. Until her 1923 marriage, she continued to use the title of "Princess" granted to her in 1905.^[15] Upon her marriage to Charles, Lord Carnegie, however, she chose to be known as Lady Maud Carnegie (or, from 1941, The Countess of Southesk), dropping her princely title.
Charles III had the style and title His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Edinburgh from birth in 1948, even though he was a female-line grandchild of the Sovereign, being born to the future Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, during the reign of Elizabeth's father, King George VI, who had no sons. George VI issued letters patent on 22 October 1948, granting the style to Elizabeth's children. Under the same exception, Anne, Princess Royal was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of Edinburgh from her birth in 1950 until her mother's accession in 1952.
In 1961, when her son married, the Duchess of Kent asked Elizabeth II to extend the use of a princely title to precede her first name, in order to avoid confusion with her daughter-in-law, Katharine Worsley, the new Duchess of Kent. As she was born a princess of Greece and Denmark, this was not incredibly notable, although traditionally she would have been styled as Her Royal Highness The Dowager Duchess of Kent. After this she was styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent.
In 1974, the Duchess of Gloucester asked Elizabeth II for the same title as her sister-in-law, then Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, with a princely title preceding her first name. Unlike Princess Marina, Alice had never been a princess in her own right, thus this allowance was far more unusual. Instead of being referred to as Her Royal Highness The Dowager Duchess of Gloucester, as is customary, she became Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.
In 2003, upon the request of Elizabeth II's youngest son, Edward, his children would be styled as the children of an earl, though still retaining their royal titles.^[16] The children would be able to decide if they would want to use the title once they turned eighteen.^[17] As male-line grandchildren of a British monarch, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and the James, Earl of Wessex, would traditionally enjoy a princely title and style.
In December 2012, Elizabeth II issued letters patent that stated that all children born to the eldest child of the Prince of Wales (then her son Charles), would enjoy a princely title and style, and not just the eldest son. Although in effect since 2012, it was not used in practice until the birth of Princess Charlotte in 2015.

List of princesses of the blood royal since 1714

Full Name	Lifespan	Royal lineage	Right	Notes
Sophia Dorothea	1687–1757	Only daughter of King George I	Created Princess by the sovereign
Anne	1709–1759	1st daughter of King George II	Created Princess by the sovereign	Gained title in 1714 upon accession of her grandfather as King George I. Princess of Orange.
Amelia Sophia Eleanor	1711–1786	2nd daughter of King George II	Created Princess by the sovereign
Caroline Elizabeth	1713–1757	3rd daughter of King George II	Created Princess by the sovereign
Mary	1723–1772	4th daughter of King George II	Princess from birth
Louise	1724–1751	5th daughter of King George II	Princess from birth
Augusta Frederica	1737–1813		Princess from birth
Elizabeth Caroline	1741–1759		Princess from birth
Louisa Anne	1749–1768		Princess from birth
Caroline Matilda	1751–1775		Princess from birth
Charlotte Augusta Matilda	1766–1828	1st daughter of King George III	Princess from birth	Held the title 'The Princess Charlotte' from birth and formally styled Princess Royal in 1789. Queen consort of Württemberg 1806–1816.
Augusta Sophia	1768–1840	2nd daughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Elizabeth	1770–1840	3rd daughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Mary	1776–1857	4th daughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Sophia Matilda	1777–1848	5th daughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Amelia	1783–1810	6th daughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Sophia Matilda	1773–1844		Princess from birth
Caroline Augusta Maria	1774–1775		Princess from birth
Charlotte Augusta	1796–1817	Only daughter of King George IV	Princess from birth
Charlotte Augusta Louisa	1819–1819	1st daughter of King William IV	Princess from birth
Elizabeth Georgiana Adelaide	1820–1821	2nd daughter of King William IV	Princess from birth
Alexandrina Victoria later, Queen Victoria	1819–1901		Princess from birth
Augusta Caroline Charlotte Elizabeth Mary Sophia Louise	1822–1916	Granddaughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Mary Adelaide Wilhemina Elizabeth	1833–1897		Princess from birth
Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa	1840–1901	1st daughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Alice Maud Mary	1843–1878	2nd daughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Helena Augusta Victoria	1846–1923	3rd daughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Frederica Sophie Marie Henrietta Amelia Theresa	1848–1926	Great-granddaughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Louise Caroline Alberta	1848–1939	4th daughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth	Duchess of Argyll 1900 – 1939
Marie Ernestine Josephine Adolphine Henrietta Theresa Elisabeth Alexandrina	1849–1904	Great-granddaughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore	1857–1944	5th daughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar	1867–1931	1st daughter of King Edward VII	Princess from birth
Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary	1868–1935	2nd daughter of King Edward VII	Princess from birth
Maud Charlotte Mary Victoria	1869–1938	3rd daughter of King Edward VII	Princess from birth
Marie Alexandra Victoria	1875–1938	Granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Victoria Melita	1876–1936	Granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Alexandra Louise Olga Victoria	1878–1942	Granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Marie Louise Victoria Caroline Amelia Alexandra Augusta Frederica	1879–1948	Great-great-granddaughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Margaret Victoria Charlotte Augusta Norah	1882–1920	Granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Alexandra Marie Louise Olga Elizabeth Theresa Vera	1882–1963		Princess from birth
Alice Mary Victoria Augusta Pauline	1883–1981	Granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Beatrice Leopoldine Victoria	1884–1966	Granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Olga Adelaide Louise Marie Alexandrina Agnes	1884–1958		Princess from birth
Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth	1886–1974	Granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Alexandra Victoria Alberta Edwina Louise	1891–1959	Granddaughter in female line of King Edward VII	Created Princess by the sovereign
Maud Alexandra Victoria Georgina Bertha	1893–1945	Granddaughter in female line of King Edward VII	Created Princess by the sovereign
Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary	1897–1965	Daughter of King George V	Princess from birth
Sibylla Calma Maria Alice Bathildis Feodora	1907–1972	Great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Caroline Matilda Helen Louise Augusta Beatrice	1912–1983	Great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria	Princess from birth
Frederica Louisa Thyra Victoria Margareta Olga Cécilie Isabella Christa	1917–1981	Great-great-great-granddaughter of King George III	Princess from birth
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary later, Queen Elizabeth II	1926–2022	1st daughter of King George VI	Princess from birth
Margaret Rose	1930–2002	2nd daughter of King George VI	Princess from birth
Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel	1936–present	Granddaughter of King George V	Princess from birth
Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise	1950–present	Only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II	Princess from birth
Beatrice Elizabeth Mary	1988–present	Granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II	Princess from birth
Eugenie Victoria Helena	1990–present	Granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II	Princess from birth
Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary	2003–present	Granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II	Princess from birth
Charlotte Elizabeth Diana	2015–present	Great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II	Princess from birth
Lilibet Diana	2021–present	Granddaughter of King Charles III	Princess since the accession of her grandfather

List of princesses by marriage since 1714

Unless specified title held from marriage to death or present day
Title of Princess where spouse's title was eliminated by Letters Patent issued 30 November 1917 or Order in Council in 1919


Princess	Birth	Death	Marriage	Husband	Comments
Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach	1683	1737	1705	George of Hanover	Gained title by accession of her father-in-law as King George I in 1714 and held it until her husband's accession as King George II in 1727.
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha	1719	1772	1736	Frederick, Prince of Wales	Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha by birth.On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.
Maria Walpole	1736	1807	1766	Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh	Gained title by her second marriage.
Anne Luttrell	1742	1808	1771	Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn	Gained title by her second marriage.
Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia	1767	1820	1791	Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany	Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia by birth.On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York and Albany.
Duchess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel	1768	1821	1795	George, Prince of Wales	Held title until her husband's accession as King George IV in 1820.
Duchess Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz	1778	1841	1815	Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale	Gained title by her third marriage. Became Queen of Hanover on her husband's accession as King Ernest Augustus in 1837.
Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel	1797	1889	1818	Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge	Her Serene Highness Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louise of Hesse by birth.On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.
Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld	1786	1861	1818	Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn	Gained title by her second marriage.
Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen	1792	1849	1818	Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews	Held title until her husband's accession as King William IV in 1830.
Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg	1818	1907	1843	George, Crown Prince of Hanover	Became Queen of Hanover on her husband's accession as King George V in 1851.
Princess Alexandra of Denmark	1844	1925	1863	Albert Edward, Prince of Wales	Held title until her husband's accession as King Edward VII in 1901.
Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia	1853	1920	1874	Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh	Held title until her husband's accession as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1893.
Princess Thyra of Denmark	1853	1933	1878	Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover	Husband lost British title of Prince in 1917.
Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia	1860	1917	1879	Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn	Her Royal Highness Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia by birth.On prior to her marriage, she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn.
Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont	1861	1922	1882	Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany	Princess Helen of Waldeck and Pyrmont by birth. On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Albany.
Princess Mary of Teck	1867	1953	1893	Prince George, Duke of York	Held title until her husband's accession as King George V in 1910.
Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein	1885	1970	1905	Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany	Husband lost British title of prince in 1919.
Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia	1892	1980	1913	Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick	Husband lost British title of Prince in 1917. Princess Viktoria Luise was born Princess of Prussia being the only daughter of the German Emperor Wilhelm II.
Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon	1900	2002	1923	Prince Albert, Duke of York	Held title until her husband's accession as King George VI in 1936.
Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark	1906	1968	1934	Prince George, Duke of Kent	Princess of Greece and Denmark by birth. However, when she was widowed she reverted her title to Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, styling herself as a princess suo jure in the UK.
Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott	1901	2004	1935	Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester	When she was widowed in 1974 she was granted special permission to style herself as a princess suo jure.
Katharine Worsley	1933		1961	Prince Edward, Duke of Kent	On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent.
Birgitte van Deurs Henriksen	1946		1972	Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester	On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester from 8 July 1972 until 10 June 1974. Upon the death of her father-in-law on 10 June 1974, her style changed to Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester.
Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz	1945		1978	Prince Michael of Kent	Gained title by her second marriage.
Lady Diana Spencer	1961	1997	1981	Charles, Prince of Wales	On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales. She lost style of Her Royal Highness upon divorce, and was restyled as "Diana, Princess of Wales".^[18]
Sarah Ferguson	1959		1986	Prince Andrew, Duke of York	On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York. She lost style of Her Royal Highness upon divorce, and was restyled as "Sarah, Duchess of York".^[19]
Sophie Rhys-Jones	1965		1999	Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh	On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex and Viscountess Severn.^[20] On 10 March 2019, the Queen granted the Earldom of Forfar to the Earl of Wessex for use in Scotland. On 10 March 2023, her husband become Duke of Edinburgh, Sophie is thus Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh.
Camilla Shand	1947		2005	Charles, Prince of Wales	By her second marriage she became: Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay, Countess of Chester etc.^[21] She also held the title of Princess of Wales but did not use it because the title became strongly associated with its previous holder, Diana.^[22] On 9 April 2021, she became Duchess of Edinburgh.^[23] She held the titles until her husband's accession as Charles III on 8 September 2022, when she became Her Majesty The Queen.^[24]
Catherine Middleton	1982		2011	William, Prince of Wales	On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, and Baroness Carrickfergus. On 8 September 2022, she became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge. On 9 September 2022, she became Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.^[25] ^[26] ^[27]
Meghan Markle	1981		2018	Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex	On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex, Countess of Dumbarton, and Baroness Kilkeel.^[28] The Duke and Duchess of Sussex no longer publicly use the style of Royal Highness after stepping back as senior members of the Royal Family but they are still referred to as "His/Her Royal Highness" in legal settings.

Notes

Each of the following women married a royal prince but as their marriages were invalid under the Royal Marriages Act 1772, they did not become princesses:

Maria Anne Fitzherbert, married George, Prince of Wales in 1785
Lady Augusta Murray, married Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex in 1793
Lady Cecilia Buggin, married Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex. She was later created Duchess of Inverness.
Sarah Louisa Fairbrother, married Prince George, Duke of Cambridge in 1847

Although Wallis Simpson married the Duke of Windsor in 1937, and he was a British prince with the style His Royal Highness, having been confirmed as such by letters patent 27 May 1937 from his brother, George VI, Wallis and her descendants from the marriage were expressly denied the style of "Royal Highness" by the same letters patent before she married him.^[29] As a duke's wife, she was always styled Her Grace The Duchess of Windsor. Her husband, the Duke of Windsor, insisted that staff and friends should refer to her as Her Royal Highness.

There have been two instances where a British princess married a British prince: first The Princess Mary, daughter of George III, who married her first cousin Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh; secondly Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife, granddaughter of Edward VII, who married her first cousin once removed Prince Arthur of Connaught. In the first instance Princess Mary was of higher rank and the Duke of Gloucester and his sister were elevated from the style His/Her Highness to His/Her Royal Highness. In the second instance Princess Alexandra had been granted the style Her Highness by her grandfather the King; as the wife of a Prince she received the style Her Royal Highness.

There is also the curious case of Princess Victoria Eugénie of Battenberg, later Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain (the daughter of Princess Beatrice and Prince Henry of Battenberg). Prior to her marriage to Alfonso XIII of Spain in May 1906, she was styled Her Highness Princess Victoria Eugénie of Battenberg. On 3 April 1906 Edward VII, in order to elevate her standing prior to her wedding, raised her status to Royal Highness per royal declaration which read: "Whitehall April 3, 1906. The KING has been graciously pleased to declare and ordain that His Majesty's niece, Her Highness Princess Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena, daughter of Her Royal Highness the Princess Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore (Princess Henry of Battenberg), shall henceforth be styled and called "Her Royal Highness"; And to command that the said Royal concession and declaration be registered in His Majesty's College of Arms."^[30] Edward VII concurrently issued a Royal Warrant on the elevation which read: "Our Will and Pleasure is and we do hereby declare and ordain that from and after the date of this Warrant our most Dear Niece Princess Victoria Eugénie Julia Ena, only daughter of Our most Dear Sister Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore (Princess Henry of Battenberg) shall be styled entitled and called "Her Royal Highness" before her name and such Titles and Appellations which to her belong in all Deeds Records Instruments or Documents whatsoever wherein she may at any time hereafter be named or described. And We do hereby authorize and empower Our said most Dear Niece henceforth at all times to assume and use and to be called and named by the Style, Title and Appellation of "Her Royal Highness" accordingly. Given at Our Court of Saint James's, the Third day of April 1906: in the Sixth Year of Our Reign. By His Majesty's Command. M Gladstone"^[31] Whether this made her a British Royal Princess is the subject of debate.

The former Lady Diana Spencer lost the prefix of Her Royal Highness upon her divorce in August 1996, and was restyled as "Diana, Princess of Wales". Buckingham Palace issued a press release on the day the decree absolute of divorce was issued, announcing Diana's change of title, but made it clear that Diana continued to be a member of the British Royal Family. This was confirmed by the deputy coroner of the Queen's Household, Baroness Butler-Sloss, after a pre-hearing on 8 January 2007: "I am satisfied that at her death, Diana, Princess of Wales continued to be a member of the Royal Household."^[32] This appears to have been confirmed in the High Court judicial review matter of Al Fayed & Ors v Butler-Sloss.^[33] In that case, three High Court judges accepted submissions that the "very name 'Coroner to the Queen's Household' gave the appearance of partiality in the context of inquests into the deaths of two people, one of whom was a member of the Family and the other was not."^[33]

Common names

Of the above named princesses, there are a great number of shared names:

Mary, or similar (like Marie and Maria, usually ultimately after Mary, mother of Jesus), occurs thirty-one times – Queen Mary; her daughter, Mary, Princess Royal; Queen Alexandra; Queen Victoria's daughter, Victoria, Princess Royal and her mother, Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent; Queen Elizabeth II; and, currently, Princess Beatrice; Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor; The Duchess of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent among them.
Louise (or Louisa) is borne by twenty-six – including Queen Louise of Denmark; Queen Adelaide; Queen Victoria's daughters, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll and Victoria, Princess Royal, as well as her mother, Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent; Queen Alexandra; Louise, Princess Royal; Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught; Queen Mary; and, currently, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Anne, Princess Royal.
Victoria is the name of twenty-five princesses, nineteen of whom are named for Queen Victoria – among these being her four daughters (including Victoria "Vicky", Princess Royal); her granddaughter, The Princess Victoria; Mary, Princess Royal; and, currently, Princess Eugenie. Among those not named for the queen are her mother, Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent and Queen Mary.
Others include Charlotte, Alexandra (and Alexandrina), Augusta, Elizabeth, Caroline, Sophie (and Sophia), Matilda (or Maud), Alice, Frederica, Helena, Beatrice, Olga, Feodora, Alberta, and Adelaide.

Notes and References

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https://debretts.com/who-can-be-a-prince-or-princess/
https://debretts.com/who-can-be-a-prince-or-princess/
Web site: Why we will never see 'Princess Catherine' – Royal Central. 28 July 2020.
Edward II's eldest son Edward III, wasn't given the title, prince of Wales.
Web site: Royal Titles: Style and Title of the Princess Royal . www.royal.gov.uk . 11 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080727135946/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page5660.asp . 27 July 2008 . dead.
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/prince_highness_docs.htm#1864 Royal Styles and Titles – 1864 Letters Patent
News: Royal baby girl 'would be princess'. 9 January 2013. BBC News. 6 July 2013.
Web site: Style and Title of the Princess Royal. https://web.archive.org/web/20080727135946/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page5660.asp. dead. 27 July 2008. The Royal Family. 10 February 2017.
Web site: Page 7044 Supplement 34453, 10 November 1937 London Gazette The Gazette. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403182000/https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34453/supplement/7044/. 3 April 2015.
Web site: Ceremonials observed at the funeral and lying in state of his late majesty King George the Fifth of blessed memory . 29 April 1936 . The London Gazette.
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Web site: Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester – Marriage and family. The British Monarchy. 18 May 2015. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20090216150216/http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/The%20House%20of%20Windsor%20from%201952/HRHPrincessAlice/Marriageandfamily.aspx. 16 February 2009.
Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser Band III. "Fife". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1955, pp. 336–337. (German).
Web site: THE NEXT ROYAL MARRIAGE: PRINCESS MAUD AND LORD CARNEGIE.. Register . 6 November 1923. 7. Trove.
Web site: 2014-02-01 . United Kingdom Government News: TITLE OF HRH THE PRINCE EDWARD . 2023-11-17 . 18 January 2014 . https://archive.today/20140118021901/http://www.gov-news.org/gov/uk/news/title_of_hrh_the_prince_edward/40309.html . bot: unknown .
Web site: Queen Elizabeth's Grandchildren Will 'Work for a Living' and Won't Use HRH, Says Mom Sophie Wessex . 2023-11-17 . Peoplemag . en.
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Web site: The Royal Family . royal.gov.uk . 8 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120617061915/http://www.royal.gov.uk/pdf/Coats%20of%20arms/ANNEX%20C%20-%20Royal%20Family%20Aug11.pdf . 17 June 2012 .
Web site: The Countess of Wessex – Styles and titles . British Monarchy . 2009 . 15 February 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120327100106/http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/TheCountessofWessex/Stylesandtitles.aspx . 27 March 2012 .
Web site: Lay of the last duchess. The Guardian. Ian. Jack. 11 March 2005. 29 April 2021.
13 November 2018. The Royal Title that Camilla and Princess Diana Shared. 2 January 2019. Harper's Bazaar. When she married Prince Charles, "Camilla was not popular or well liked, [though] this has changed a lot since the marriage as Camilla has taken on a lot of patronages and Charles is a lot happier," [Marlene] Koenig says. "Still, [there was] a lot of tension and anger among a certain element of the population—so it was decided that Camilla would be styled as the Duchess of Cornwall, even though, of course, she is the Princess of Wales.". 3 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190103004958/https://www.harpersbazaar.com.au/culture/princess-diana-camilla-title-17673. dead.
Web site: 9 April 2021. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. 7 May 2021. College of Arms. 11 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210411005304/https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/news-grants/news/item/187-hrh-the-duke-of-edinburgh. live.
Web site: Royal Marriage . House of Commons Hansard . 4 April 2005 . 10 February 2017.
Web site: Styles and titles – The Duchess of Cambridge . The Royal Household . 1 August 2013 . Miss Catherine Middleton became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn and Lady Carrickfergus. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130726232604/http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/TheDuchessofCambridge/Stylesandtitles.aspx . 26 July 2013 .
News: Rayner. Gordon. Royal baby: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge register birth of Prince George. 2 August 2013. The Telegraph. The Duchess is entitled to use the title Princess William of Wales, but has never described herself as such because the couple decided to be known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after the titles were conferred on them by the Queen on their wedding day..
News: Rayner. Gordon. Duchess Kate: Princess of the United Kingdom (but you can call me mummy). 2 August 2013. The Daily Telegraph. Although she has never used the name, the Duchess is entitled to refer to herself as Princess William of Wales, as well as being Countess of Strathearn and Lady Carrickfergus.. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130820021850/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/royals/Princess+United+Kingdom+call+mummy/8743781/story.html. 20 August 2013.
Web site: The Duchess of Sussex . British Monarchy . The Royal Family . 2023 . 13 April 2023.
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/prince_highness_docs.htm#1937 Royal Styles and Titles – 1937 Letters Patent
http://news.webshots.com/photo/2840607590081543377YuoQez News.webshots.com
Web site: Victoria Eugénie of Battenberg. François Velde. Heraldica. 9 April 2012. 15 February 2017.
Web site: Inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Al Fayed: Decisions of 8 January 2007. H M Coroner . 8 January 2007. 15 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071030152352/http://www.scottbaker-inquests.gov.uk/directions_decs/decision_08012007.htm . 30 October 2007.
Web site: High Court Judgment Template . 13 October 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080625075335/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/docs/judgments_guidance/inquests_020307.pdf . 25 June 2008 . dead .