King Charles wants Princess Charlotte to become the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The seven-year-old royal became third in line to the British throne upon the death of her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth in September and while it was initially assumed that her great-uncle Prince Edward would inherit the title of the Duke of Edinburgh when his father Prince Philip died in April 2021, King Charles is reportedly saving it for Princess Charlotte as a “fitting” tribute to Her Late Majesty.
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“Discussions are underway, but the favoured outcome for the King is that this title ought to go to Princess Charlotte,” a source told The Mail on Sunday.
“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 honour the line of succession.”
The royal insider went on to add that Princess Charlotte is “historically significant” because she is the first female in the history of the monarchy after the primogeniture rule was changed to allow firstborn children of either gender to become heir to the throne, meaning that – unlike Queen Elizabeth’s daughter Princess Anne – Charlotte will not drop down in the order of succession because of her younger brother Louis and will remain where she is until her elder brother Prince George has children.
“Charlotte’s position is historically significant because she is the first female member of the Royal Family whose place in the line of succession will not be surpassed by her younger brother. So it is constitutionally significant that Charlotte should be given such a corresponding title, because it is not beyond the realms of possibility that she will accede the throne if, for example, Prince George does not have children.”