Prince William has a new title following the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, on Sept. 8 at age 96: the 40-year-old royal is now the Duke of Cornwall, a title typically bestowed upon the eldest son of the reigning monarch, who is now King Charles III. In Scotland, William now bears the title of Duke of Rothesay.
It’s possible that William will also become the Prince of Wales, typically held by the heir apparent, but the King will need to officially grant his son the title first. William is now second in line for the throne, followed by his nine-year-old son, Prince George. As evidenced by his social media accounts, William will still retain the Duke of Cambridge designation granted to him at his 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton, who will now similarly be known as the Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.
The Queen’s death comes a little over a year after her husband Prince Philip died. Plans have not yet been announced for the late monarch’s funeral procession, or the new king’s coronation. For some time there was speculation about whether Charles would pick the regnal name King George VII as a nod to his grandfather, but it’s now clear that he chose to keep his name. His wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, now has the title of queen consort.
It’s unlikely that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, will see changes to their title since stepping down as senior members of the royal family in 2020. As it stands, Harry is currently fifth in line for the throne.
