Princess Charlotte won’t adopt Princess Royal mantle

It was suggested Prince William’s daughter would be given title held by Princess Anne for 34 years

Princess Charlotte is fourth in the line of succession with Anne back in fifteenth. Kensington Royal/Getty Images

Princess Anne will retain the Princess Royal title she has held since 1987, despite speculation it could go to Prince William's daughter Princess Charlotte if the monarchy is pared back.

Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter, 70, could also be in line to receive the royal and military patronages of Prince Harry and Prince Philip.

The designation of Princess Royal is the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a female member of the “The Firm”, with Princess Anne the seventh to hold it.

Some commentators suggested it would shift to Princess Charlotte when Prince Charles accedes to the throne, rumours fuelled by the review Charles and William are conducting into the size of the royal family, with the expectation it will be trimmed to a nucleus of seven.

Given Charlotte, 6, is fourth in the line of succession, with Anne back in 15th, logic dictates the current Princess Royal would not be part of this central caucus.

Even if this does materialise, royal tradition dictates that she would not be stripped of the title as once awarded it is for life. This holds true even if Prince William accedes to the throne in lieu of his ageing father.

Hard-working Anne to receive military patronages?

Far from her role being diminished, a royal expert said Anne's profile could be raised if she receives the military and royal patronages held by Prince Philip before his death and Prince Harry before he left the royal family.

"It would be a shock if she was not at least given the opportunity to decline some of those patronages that have opened up," Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, founder of the British Monarchists Society, told the Daily Star.

“She is no-nonsense, duty, to the point, she's not one for small talk, she tells it straight and that's what the military is about.

“Her very demeanour is very good for the patronages that her father had.”

Mr Mace-Archer-Mills cited her reputation as the hardest-working member of the royal family and the esteem in which she is held by the military as evidence of her suitability.

“She is constantly doing what's expected of the Crown and there's a very big difference between her work and those of her nephew Harry's, so she's going to be picking up a lot of work in the coming years because the Crown is down a player.”

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