Thursday, November 18, 2010

the British style for princess



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Modernists will sniff at the British tradition of royal styles and titles.  The style is based on German royal tradition.  The wife takes her husband's rank and title unless she has a higher rank. 

Princesses in their own right were styled by their husbands' titles after marriage. Princess August Wilhelm of Prussia.  Princess Ludwig of Bavaria.   Duchess Albrecht of Württemberg, and so on.   If a princess married a prince whose style was different -- an HRH Princess marrying a prince who was a Highness (Hoheit) or a Durchlaucht (Serene Highness), she was known by his name, but she retained her higher style.  

This Anglo-Saxon tradition can also be seen in how a married couple is largely styled.  Etiquette rules have changed, but the tradition remains.  Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.  Mrs. John Smith.  Mary Smith.   Many married couples eschew the use of Mrs. and Mrs. His Name Smith, except on the most formal occasions.  (Approximately 90% of American women take their husband's surname when they marry.)

It is becoming more common to see John and Mary Smith or Mrs. Mary Smith, although the latter style has been used for divorced women and widows.  For those of us without titles, it is more a matter of preference these.

Different monarchies have different rules.  In Denmark, the former Alexandra Manley became HRH Princess Alexandra of Denmark when she married Prince Joachim.  Joachim's second wife, Marie, is now HRH Princess Marie of Denmark, not Princess Joachim. This is how the wives of princes are styled in Denmark. Their royal style was acquired through marriage.

 (Alexandra lost her HRH and was styled as HH Princess Alexandra after the divorce.  When she married for a second time, she ceased to be a princess and is now styled Countess Alexandra of Fredriksborg.  This is a personal title that is not shared by her second husband, nor will it be inherited by her eldest son.)

The British do things differently.  The wives of royal princes become royal themselves when they marry.  This does not mean they are royal princesses in their own right.  The royal status is attained through marriage and lost through divorce.   When Catherine Middleton marries Prince William, she will become HRH Princess William of Wales.  She will not become HRH Princess Catherine of Wales because she will not be a princess in her own right.  The Queen is unlikely to issue a letters patent or even a press release to state that Kate's official title will be "HRH Princess Catherine of Wales." 

This latter style would indicate that Catherine is the daughter of the Prince of Wales.  Her rank will be a princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  

Should William be created a duke on his wedding day, he will be styled by that title, and his wife will be HRH Duchess of something.  But her rank will be a princess because her husband is a prince. 

The British royal house includes four princesses by birth: Anne, Beatrice, Eugenie, and Alexandra, and five princesses by marriage: the Duchess of Cornwall, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Duchess of Kent, and Princess Michael of Kent.

Although the Countess of Wessex's daughter, Lady Louise, should be a princess, she is styled as the daughter of an earl, and her rank reflects this as well. 
 
The Sovereign, as the fount of all honours, has the sole discretion regarding royal titles.  Catherine will not be the second lady in the land.  She will begin to take on royal engagements, slowly at first, and she will not be expected to take on a lot of patronages.  This will come in time, especially after Charles comes to the throne. 

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In April 1932, a Royal Warrant was issued that discontinued the use of foreign titles of nobility in England and Wales was discontinued.

 In 1934, when HRH Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark married HRH The Duke of Kent, she became a British princess by marriage and was styled HRH The Duchess of Kent.  The press still referred to her as Princess Marina, even though she was a British princess by marriage, and not by birth. 

  Now you ask - well what if George had not been given a dukedom?    Marina would have been styled as HRH The Princess George.  Her rank came from her husband.  Her mother, a Russian Grand Duchess, was styled in Greece as Princess Nicholas,  and not Princess Helen.  Her position as a Grand Duchess did not change, but her style and rank did.  She was HIH Princess Nicholas to be exact.  On the other hand, her sister-in-law, the very wealthy American Nancy Leeds, was created HRH Princess Anastasia of Greece in her own right by King Constantine I.  This was a smart mot because Nancy's money helped finance the restoration of the Greek monarchy.


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Marina could be snooty toward her Scottish sisters-in-law and was never close to them.  Lady Alice came from a fabulously wealthy family, and Lady Elizabeth got to be Queen Consort.  She referred to them as "common little Scottish girls. Marina was glamorous and popular but married to a former drug addict bi-sexual prince with a penchant for art and Noel Coward.  The Duke of Kent's tragic death in a plane crash in 1942 left Marina and her three young children with limited funds.  The Duke's Civil list allocation ended with his death.  His private income was also small.  King George VI helped pay the children's school fees.  Princess Marina, who continued to carry out engagements,  felt largely isolated. 


It has been noted that Kate will be the first commoner to marry a direct heir to the throne since the Duke of York -- the future James II -- married Anne Hyde.  (They were the parents of Queen Mary II and Queen Anne.) This is technically incorrect.  Lady Elizabeth-Bowes-Lyon, Lady Alice Montagu-Douglas-Scott, and Lady Diana Spencer were commoners by law.  Their fathers were peers of the realm, but the children of peers of the realm are commoners.   The children of peers bear courtesy titles  -- titles by courtesy from their father's peerage.  The only difference between Kate and these three women is their noble lines, although Kate and William are 15th cousins. 

Sarah Ferguson and Camilla Shand are also commoners, albeit with many noble lines, and share with the late Diana, Princess of Wales,  descent from Charles II.   (Diana was also a descendant of James II and Arabella Churchill, sister of the first Duke of Marlborough.) 

The Queen could allow Catherine to be styled by her own name.  This will not require a Letters Patent, just a simple directive. It will not happen, however.

On May 23, 1961,  Kensington Palace sent out a release stating that "after the marriage of her son, the Duke of Kent on June 8, the Duchess of Kent wishes to be known as Her Royal Highness Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent."    This was done because Marina did not want to be styled as the Dowager Duchess of Kent.  She made the request to include Princess Marina as a part of her title to HM the Queen, who gave her permission.

Marina's request set a precedent for her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Gloucester, following the death of her husband in June 1974.  Alice was briefly styled as the Dowager Duchess of Gloucester, which she did not like, so she wrote to the Queen and asked if she could be styled as Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.  
   
The Queen agreed.  Some years later,  the Queen's private secretary told me in correspondence some years later that this was a private decision by the Queen for a "beloved aunt."   The use of her own name was a matter of style approved by the Sovereign.  Alice was one of the unsung heroines of the Royal Family and carried out many duties during her lifetime. 

Neither Marina nor Alice was created a British princess in her own right.

There are several examples of a British princess by birth using her husband's title.   The eldest of Queen Victoria's daughters, Vicky, married Prince Friedrich of Prussia.   Until her husband's father succeeded as King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany,  Vicky's official title was HRH  Princess Friedrich.   Princess Helena was HRH Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein.   Princess Beatrice was Princess Henry of Battenberg. 

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 In 1904, when HRH Princess Alice of Albany married HSH Prince Alexander of Teck, her official title became HRH Princess Alexander of Teck.  This change in 1917, when all German titles were abandoned by the British royal house,  Alexander was created Earl of Athlone, and his wife, a British princess in her own right, was styled as HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.    This change also allowed Helena and Beatrice to revert to their British titles.

The future George V was not pleased when the two daughters of his sister, Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife, were created Princesses with the rank of HH by Edward VII.  Thus, Lady Alexandra and Lady Maud Fife were upgraded to HH Princess Alexandra and HH Princess Maud.  In 1912,  Alexandra succeeded her father as Duchess of Fife, by special remainder. 
 
Her new style was HH Duchess of Fife.  This changed in October 1913, when she married her first cousin once removed, HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught.  Although she was a duchess in her own right (but not a royal duchess, the HH was due to her rank as a princess),  Alexandra was styled as HRH Princess Arthur of Connaught.  

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Alexandra's younger sister, Princess Maud ceased to be styled as HH Princess Maud after her marriage to Lord Carnegie, son, and heir to the Earl of Southesk.  It is understood that King George, who gave away his cousin at her wedding, was the one who suggested that she drop the royal style.   No letters patent was issued.  Her style after marriage was The Lady Maud Carnegie.

When Maud's father-in-law, the Earl of Southesk died in 1941, his obituary referred to Maud as Lady Maud Carnegie, formerly Princess Maud of Fife.)

The Countess of Southesk did not cease to be a member of the British royal family when she stopped using her title and style.  She reverted to the style of a daughter of a non-royal duke.  At the time of her death, Maud was 13th in the line of succession.  In 1943,  King George VI issued a letters patent naming Maud as one of five Counsellors of State during his absence from Britain when he visited Africa. 

The Countess of Southesk followed the precedent of her mother's first cousin, Princess Patricia of Connaught, who renounced her title and style when she married the Hon. Alexander Ramsay at Westminster Abbey.  Two Letters Patent were issued by George V concerning this matter.  The first Letters Patent allowed Patricia to relinquish her HRH and her title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland.  The second gave her the "place, pre-eminence and precedence before Marchionesses of England."  Thus, Princess Patricia became Lady Patricia Ramsay.  These Letters Patent were issued the day before Patricia married.

No special decree was needed when Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married the Duke of York.   Several days after the wedding, the palace made an official statement: "in accordance with the settled general rule that a wife takes the status of her husband, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on her marriage has become her Royal Highness the Duchess of York with the status of Princess."  No decree.  No Letters Patent.  A mere clarification.

Princess Arthur of Connaught was the first to be styled by her husband's name. The sons and grandsons of Queen Victoria were created dukes (and, in the case of the heir apparent, the Prince of Wales) before their marriages.   When the Duke of Edinburgh married HIH Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, the new bride was styled as HR&IH the Duchess of Edinburgh.  Queen Victoria would not allow the Russian Imperial to come before the British HRH as Marie was marrying into the British House.  Prince Arthur was the only son and heir to his father, the Duke of Connaught, and had he succeeded his father, his wife would have been a royal duchess by marriage and a peer of the realm in her own right.  Prince Arthur died in 1938, five years before his father. 

The present Duchess of Gloucester was styled as HRH Princess Richard of Gloucester, until the death of her father-in-law.   Prince Richard did not expect to become the duke because his elder brother, Prince William was the heir apparent.  But when Prince William, who was unmarried, died in a plane crash in August of 1972,  Prince Richard became his father's heir.

Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz became HRH Princess Michael of Kent and not Princess Marie Christine of Kent.   Marie Christine's knickers will be in a twist if the Queen allows Catherine to use her own name as a part of the royal style. 

The real question: will the Queen give her grandson a dukedom on his wedding day.  Interesting question as William will become the Duke of Cornwall and the Duke of Rothesay when his father succeeds to the throne.  The new king Charles III would also, at some point, create William as Prince of Wales.  Between the accession and the time when Charles creates William Prince of Wales,  William will be styled as Duke of Cornwall and Duke of whatever, the Cornwall title taking precedence as it is the title for the heir to the throne.

When Edward VII succeeded to the throne in 1901,  his son, George, was styled as HRH The Duke of Cornwall and York.

It really doesn't matter what Catherine's first title will be.  By marriage, she will become HRH and a Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  In the fullness of time, she will be the Princess of Wales and Queen Catherine.   She will step out of the church, on the arm of her new husband, as  HRH Princess William of Wales or HRH The Duchess of something.   I am sure the Queen will consult with her advisers, with the Prince of Wales and Prince William regarding a possible dukedom.

If you are confused by this title situation, wait until William and Kate have kids.  If you think HRH Princess William of Wales sounds funny, wait until you see what the 1917 Letters Patent has in store for the kiddies. 

It only matters during the Queen's lifetime.  Let's say, Catherine's first child is a girl.  Congratulations and all that, but the little darling will not be a princess.  She will be Lady Christian name Mountbatten-Windsor.  Two years later, Catherine gives birth to a boy, who not only gets to move ahead of the little lady in the line of succession, he will be  HRH Prince.  Younger sons and daughters will also be Lord or Lady Christian name Mountbatten-Windsor

Charles becomes king,  William is now the Duke of Cornwall ... and the little 'uns are all upgraded to HRH prince or princess four names of Cornwall.  Grandpa names William as Prince of Wales -- cross out Cornwall and we now have HRH Prince George of Wales, HRH Princess Elizabeth of Wales, and HRH Prince Michael of Wales.

[Update,  In December 2012, Queen Elizabeth II issued a new Letters Patent that extended the HRH and title of Prince or Princess to all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales.]


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3 comments:

MAXny said...

Thank you, Marlene! If anybody would know it would be you.
So Kate's full style would be HRH Princess William of the UK and NI, Duchess of XX, Countess of XX and Baroness of XX.
Another thing I always thought the rule was different for Marina because she held the same rank as her husband. Therefore, instead of using her husbands name after the title she was entitled to use her own name, unlike her sister-in-laws.
Anyway, I appreciate your summary, makes me feel good that I wasn't to far off basis.

Marlene Eilers Koenig said...

Kate will be HRH Prince William of Wales if William is not given a dukedom. She will have the rank of a princess of the UK of GB and NI.

Princess Marina was a British princess by marriage ... "Princess Marina" was a greek princess. If her husband was not the Duke of Kent, Marina would have been styled as HRH The Princess Edward. Not Marina. She did not stop being a Greek princess, but Marina was not a part of her British title until 1961. She needed permission to do this.
Diana was never The Princess Charles because Prince Charles' official title is the Prince of Wales. He was born HRH Prince Charles of Edinburgh, but when mom became queen, he ceased to be HRH Prince Charles of Edinburgh and became HRH The Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay -- and then HRH The Prince of Wales, which supercedes all other titles. The press call him Prince Charles -- but his official title is HRH The Prince of Wales.
William is a British prince but his official title is HRH Prince William of Wales.

John said...

Truly fascinating. Thanks