Prince William, the eldest son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, holds the title of Duke of Cambridge, rather than the more commonly expected title of Prince. The reason for this distinction lies in the intricacies of the British royal family's titles and traditions.
The title of Duke is often granted to members of the royal family upon their marriage, and it carries a certain level of prestige and responsibility. In the case of Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II conferred upon him the title of Duke of Cambridge on his wedding day, April 29, 2011, when he married Catherine Middleton, now known as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. This tradition of bestowing a dukedom upon a royal groom during a marriage ceremony is a longstanding practice within the British monarchy.
The decision to grant William a dukedom rather than the title of Prince stems from a historical precedent established by King George V in 1917. In that year, George V issued a Letters Patent, which altered the royal titles and styles within the family. This was in response to the First World War and the anti-German sentiment prevalent at the time. The Letters Patent stipulated that only the children and male-line grandchildren of the sovereign would hold the title of Prince or Princess, followed by their given name.
Therefore, as the son of Prince Charles, who is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William is entitled to the title of Prince. However, it is not automatically granted upon birth or by virtue of being the heir apparent to the throne. Instead, the title of Prince is within the discretion of the reigning monarch, who can choose to bestow it upon certain members of the royal family. In the case of Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II has not yet granted him the title of Prince, despite his position as second in line to the throne.
It is important to note that there have been exceptions to this rule in the past. For instance, Queen Elizabeth II's own father, King George VI, granted her children the titles of Prince and Princess, which is why Prince Charles is officially known as Prince Charles. However, in Prince William's case, the decision to use the title of Duke rather than Prince was a deliberate choice, possibly reflecting a desire to modernize the monarchy and adapt to changing times.
In recent years, there has been speculation that Prince William may eventually receive the title of Prince when he ascends to the throne, following the example set by previous monarchs. It is also worth mentioning that Prince William's children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, are all styled as Prince and Princess, as Queen Elizabeth II issued a Letters Patent in 2012 to ensure that all of Prince William's children would hold royal titles.
Prince William holds the title of Duke of Cambridge rather than Prince due to historical precedent and the discretion of the reigning monarch. While he is entitled to the title of Prince by birthright, the decision to grant him that title rests with the Queen. As the British monarchy continues to evolve and adapt, it remains to be seen if and when Prince William will receive the title of Prince in the future.
