'Princess Royal' is a
style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a
British monarch to his or her eldest daughter. The style is held for life, so a princess cannot be given the style during the lifetime of another Princess Royal (in particular,
Queen Elizabeth II never held the title). There have been seven Princesses Royal in total.
[1] Currently
Princess Anne is the Princess Royal.
This title came into existence when
Queen Henrietta Maria (1609-1669), daughter of
Henry IV, King of France, and
royal consort of
King Charles I (1600-1649), wanted to imitate the way the eldest daughter of the King of France was styled "
Madame Royale." The style is granted by
Royal Warrant not created by
Letters Patent. It is not automatically given to the eldest daughter, but is conferred at the discretion of the reigning sovereign.
Princess Mary (later Queen Mary II of England) (1662-1694), eldest daughter of
King James II and wife of
William III, Prince of Orange and King of England (1650-1702), and
Princess Sophia Dorothea (1687-1757), only daughter of
King George I and wife of
Frederick William I, King in Prussia (1688-1740) were eligible for this honor but did not receive it.
List of Princesses Royal
The following is a complete list of women officially styled as "Princess Royal":
#
1642-
1660 −
Princess Mary (1631 - 1660): eldest daughter of
King Charles I; wife of
William II, Prince of Orange (1626 - 1650)
#
1727-
1759 −
Princess Anne (1709 - 1759): eldest daughter of
King George II; wife of
William IV, Prince of Orange (1711 - 1751)
#
1789-
1828 −
Princess Charlotte (1766 - 1828): eldest daughter of
King George III; wife of
Frederick I, King of Württemberg (1754 - 1816)
#
1841-
1901 −
Princess Victoria (1840 - 1901): eldest daughter of
Queen Victoria; wife of
Frederick III, King of Prussia and German Emperor (1831 - 1888) and mother of
Kaiser Wilhelm II.
#
1905-
1931 −
Princess Louise (1867 - 1931): eldest daughter of
King Edward VII; wife of
Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife (1849 - 1912)
#
1932-
1965 −
Princess Mary (1897 - 1965): only daughter of
King George V; wife of
Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood (1882 - 1947)
#
1987-''present'' −
Princess Anne (born 1950): only daughter of
Queen Elizabeth II; wife firstly of
Mark Phillips (born 1948) and secondly of
Timothy Laurence (born 1955)
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