Rare royal title that could be given to Princess Charlotte

Princess Charlotte could be given a unique title to recognise her high-profile in the Royal Family for being the only daughter of future king William.

The six-year-old is fourth in line to the throne and is expected to remain a key figure as she grows up even in the new, slimmed-down monarchy.

The reigning monarch usually hands out new titles to royals who get married but Charlotte may get another title altogether regardless of whether she marries or not, reports The Express.

As Princess Charlotte is set one day be the daughter of the king she may well be given the Princess Royal title which is used for the eldest daughter of the British sovereign.

The title was first introduced to mimic the French royal title of Madame Royale back in the 1600s.

The is Princess Royal status is not automatically given to the king or queen’s eldest daughter and it has to be bestowed by the monarch themselves.

Currently, it is Princess Anne who is the Princess Royal as she is the Queen and Prince Philip’s only daughter.

Before Princess Anne, the title was held by King George VI’s sister, Princess Mary.

Royal expert and author of Prince Harry: The Inside Story, Duncan Larcombe, told TownandCountrymag.com: “The title of Princess Royal is traditionally bestowed on the eldest daughter of the monarch.

“It is a title that remains for life, so Princess Charlotte will have to wait at least until the death of the current Princess Royal.”

Princess Anne didn’t get her Princess Royal title until the Queen had been on the throne for 35 years.

Mr Larcombe added: “Princess Anne had to wait until 1987 before her mother the Queen bestowed the title of Princess Royal on her, even though the title had been vacant since 1965.”

The Princess Royal title would be separate to becoming a duchess which is a status which is sometimes given by the monarch when a member of the Royal Family marries.

But there is not a lot of consistency to this as female members of the Royal Family in recent years have not been given a duchess title like Princess Margaret.

In the case of the Queen’s sister, her husband Antony Armstrong-Jones was made the Earl of Snowdon rather than a Duke.

But it will be in the hands of William what royal titles he decides to give out to Charlotte and her brothers George and Louis.