List of current British princes and princesses

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of living British royal family members who, through royal descent or marriage, currently hold the rank of Prince or Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. There are 18 living princes and princesses by birthright, and a further 6 individuals who are princesses by marriage.

By descent[edit]

Place in line
of succession
Image Name Age Royal lineage Spouse
Descendant of Charles III
1 Duke of Cambridge (Chair of State) 2022 (crop2).jpg William, Prince of Wales 40 Son Catherine Middleton
2 Prince George at Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee 2022 - Platinum Pageant.jpg Prince George of Wales 9 Grandchild
3 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee 2022 - Platinum Pageant (52124830349) (cropped2).jpg Princess Charlotte of Wales 8
4 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee 2022 - Platinum Pageant (52124830349) (cropped3).jpg Prince Louis of Wales 5
5 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex 2020 cropped 02.jpg Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex 38 Son Meghan Markle
6 Badge of the House of Windsor.svg Prince Archie of Sussex 4 Grandchild
7 Badge of the House of Windsor.svg Princess Lilibet of Sussex 1
Descendant of Elizabeth II
8 The Duke of York in Belfast (cropped).jpg Prince Andrew, Duke of York 63 Son Sarah Ferguson (divorced 1996)
9 Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York 2018 (01).jpg Princess Beatrice, Mrs Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi 34 Grandchild Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
11 Princess Eugenie, 2017.jpg Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank 33 Jack Brooksbank
13 Prince Edward February 2015.jpg Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh 59 Son Sophie Rhys-Jones
14 James Mountbatten-Windsor 2023.jpg James, Earl of Wessex[a] 15 Grandchild
15 Lady Louise, 2017.jpg Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor[b] 19
16 Princess Anne October 2015.jpg Anne, Princess Royal 72 Daughter Sir Timothy Laurence
Descendant of George V
30 The Duke of Gloucester (cropped).jpg Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester 78 Grandchild Birgitte van Deurs Henriksen
40 The Duke of Kent (cropped).jpg Prince Edward, Duke of Kent 87 Katharine Worsley
51 HRH Prince Michael of Kent 59 Allan Warren.jpg Prince Michael of Kent 80 Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz
56 HRH The Princess Alexandra 04 25 10.png Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy 86
(died 2004)

By marriage[edit]

When a British prince marries, his wife also becomes a British princess; however, she is addressed by the feminine version of the husband's senior title on his behalf, either a princely title or a peerage. Traditionally, all wives of male members of the British royal family, the aristocracy, and members of the public take the style and title of their husbands. An example of this case is Princess Michael of Kent, the wife of the King's first cousin once removed, Prince Michael of Kent.[2]

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 the cousin of her mother, Prince Arthur of Connaught, she became Princess Arthur of Connaught, Duchess of Fife.

If a British prince has a peerage, then the princess is addressed by the feminine version of her husband's peer title; an example of this case is the wife of Prince William, who was (briefly) officially styled His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge while his wife Catherine became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, omitting both the 'prince' and 'princess' titles and their first names. When William was then created Prince of Wales, that became the senior title held in his own right, and he and Catherine are styled His/Her Royal Highness The Prince/Princess of Wales.[3]

Year of marriage Image Name Age Spouse
1961 Katharine, Duchess of Kent.JPG Katharine, Duchess of Kent 90 Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
1972 Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester 2015.jpg Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester 77 Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
1978 HRH Princess Michael of Kent Allan Warren.jpg Princess Michael of Kent 78 Prince Michael of Kent
1999 Sophie, grevinna av Wessex.jpg Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh 58 Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
2011 Catherine, Princess of Wales in 2022 (cropped).jpg Catherine, Princess of Wales 41 William, Prince of Wales
2018 Meghan Markle - 2018 (cropped).jpg Meghan, Duchess of Sussex 41 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Although James is a British prince, his parents did not give him the prince title in order for him to avoid some of the burdens of royal titles.[1]
  2. ^ Although Louise is a British princess, her parents did not give her the princess title in order for her to avoid some of the burdens of royal titles.[1]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Royal Family tree and line of succession". BBC. September 4, 2017. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  2. ^ Hubbard, Lauren (30 July 2019). "Who Is Princess Michael of Kent". townandcountrymag.com. Town&Country. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  3. ^ Cruse, Beth (31 May 2021). "Why Kate Middleton isn't known as Princess - but Diana was". Bristolpost.co.uk. Bristol Post. Retrieved 6 August 2021.