Princess Charlotte could receive this title when Prince William becomes King

Princess Charlotte could receive an important new title once Prince William becomes King - but it's currently held by another member of the royal family.

• Princess Charlotte, who is currently styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Wales, could get a new title when her father takes the throne.
• But whether she will receive the new title depends on a number of factors.
• In other royal news, Andrew Morton has revealed the one thing he never asked Princess Diana while writing her biography.

When Prince William becomes King, Charlotte could be named The Princess Royal, a title currently held by Princess Anne. However, it is not certain that the seven-year-old royal will receive the royal title, as it depends on a number of factors.

In the lead up to Princess Anne's 70th birthday in 2020, the royal family's twitter account revealed details of the Princess Royal's life. They wrote at the time, "HRH The Princess Anne was named The Princess Royal, a title traditionally bestowed upon the eldest daughter of The Sovereign, in 1987. HRH is the seventh Princess Royal, following Princess Mary, the only daughter of King George V."

This is where it gets complicated. Because the then Princess Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of the sovereign George VI, but she was never known as the Princess Royal because her aunt, Princess Mary, was in possession of the title. 

This means that if Princess Anne is still using the title when her nephew William ascends the throne, he will not be able to bestow it upon his daughter Charlotte.

And even then, the Princess Royal title is not automatically awarded to the eldest daughter of the sovereign. The Queen only bestowed the title of Princess Royal on Princess Anne in June 1987 - even though it had been vacant since 1965, after the death of Princess Mary.

The title was first used in 1642 when Princess Mary, daughter of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria, was made Princess Royal. Queen Henrietta Maria, who was the daughter of King Henry IV of France, is said to have wanted to imitate the way the eldest daughter of the French King was styled as "Madame Royale." 

Back in November, it was reported that Princess Charlotte may receive the title of the Duchess of Edinburgh. The title would be awarded in light of the Royal Family's U-turn on primogeniture.

It was expected that the role, one of the most senior titles granted in the Royal Family, would be awarded to the youngest of Queen Elizabeth's children, Prince Edward. However, the Daily Mailreported that a royal source told them, "discussions are underway, but the favored outcome for the King is that this title ought to go to Princess Charlotte."

The source added, "it would be a fitting way to remember the Queen – who, of course, had the title Duchess of Edinburgh – and a way for His Majesty to honor the line of succession."