scorecardEvery member of the royal family's new title following Queen Elizabeth's death
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Every member of the royal family's new title following Queen Elizabeth's death

Samantha Grindell   

Every member of the royal family's new title following Queen Elizabeth's death
The royal titles shifted following Queen Elizabeth II's death.Karwai Tang / Contributor / Samir Hussein / Contributor / Patrick van Katwijk / Contributor / Getty Images
  • Queen Elizabeth II's death shifted the royal family's line of succession and members' titles.
  • Her son became King Charles III, and he then made Prince William the Prince of Wales.

The Queen's eldest son became King Charles III.

The Queen
King Charles III is the monarch.      Samir Hussein / Contributor / Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II's firstborn child, Charles, became king the moment she died.

The king's full name is Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor, and he could have used any of his names for his official royal title.

But the new monarch chose to use his first name, becoming King Charles III.

Camilla was the Duchess of Cornwall, but now she is Camilla, Queen Consort.

Camilla was the Duchess of Cornwall, but now she is Camilla, Queen Consort.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, before the Service of Thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth on Monday.      Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

In the years leading up to King Charles' succession, there was speculation about what his wife Camilla's title would be when he became monarch.

Camilla technically became the Princess of Wales when she married the king, but she never used the title because it was so closely tied to Princess Diana, as Insider previously reported.

But before she died, the Queen announced she wanted Camilla to be known as Camilla, Queen Consort, and the King confirmed he would follow her wishes by calling Camilla the Queen Consort in the first statement he released after his mother's death.

Consort is added to Camilla's title because "Queen" is reserved for female monarchs, like Queen Elizabeth.

Prince William is now the Prince of Wales.

Prince William is now the Prince of Wales.
Prince William, Prince of Wales (front), and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (back) arrive to hold a vigil in honor of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall on September 17, 2022, in London.      Aaron Chown/Getty Images

Following his ascension to the throne, King Charles III announced his eldest son, William, would be the new Prince of Wales in his first address to the United Kingdom.

Queen Elizabeth previously announced that Charles would be the Prince of Wales back in 1958, according to Town & Country, so Wales has not seen a new prince in nearly 65 years.

For the first time since Princess Diana's death, a new royal family member holds the title Princess of Wales.

For the first time since Princess Diana
Kate Middleton in Queen Elizabeth II's procession to Wellington Arch.      TOM JENKINS / Contributor / Getty images

In the same speech, King Charles announced Kate Middleton would be the Princess of Wales.

"With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conservation's, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground, where vital help can be given," the king said in his speech.

No one has used the title since Princess Diana, who died in 1997.

Prince William and Princess Kate also became the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall following Queen Elizabeth II's death.

Prince William and Princess Kate also became the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall following Queen Elizabeth II
The Prince and Princess of Wales.      Karwai Tang / Contributor / Getty Images

William and Kate also inherited Charles and Camilla's former titles of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, making them the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.

Their Twitter account briefly listed them as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge before King Charles announced they would be the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Prince William's children's titles have slightly shifted too.

Prince William
Prince William speaks to his children Prince George and Princess Charlotte during the Queen's funeral.      Daniel Leal - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Because he is the Prince of Wales, Prince William's children can now add "of Wales" to their titles as well as his descendants.

On the royal family's website, they are listed as Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, and Prince Louis of Wales.

George is second in line for the throne, while Charlotte and Louis are third and fourth.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children are technically a prince and princess, though their new titles haven't been announced by the monarchy.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.      Chris Jackson / Staff / Getty Images

According to a 1917 Letter Patent issued by King George V, Archie and Lilibet, who are sixth and seventh in line for the throne, can use the titles prince and princess following the Queen's death.

King George's decree states that the children and grandchildren of the monarch are able to use the titles simply because they are the ruler's direct descendants, as Today reported.

However, it was unclear at the time of writing if Harry and Meghan's children would be "Prince Archie" and "Princess Lilibet" moving forward.

They are still listed as Master Archie and Miss Lilibet on the royal family's website.

Prince Edward's title may change soon, too.

Prince Edward
The late Prince Philip and Prince Edward.      Max Mumby/Getty Images

Prince Edward is currently the Duke of Wessex, but it was announced in 1999 that King Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip agreed that Edward would be made the Duke of Edinburgh following Philip's death, a title that belonged to Philip at the time, as Vanity Fair reported.

King Charles III automatically inherited the Duke of Edinburgh title when Prince Philip died in 2021, as People reported.

He has not yet named his brother the Duke of Edinburgh.

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