Princess Anne Is the Seventh Princess Royal: The Little Known History Behind the Rare Title

Britain has had many kings, queens, and royal daughters since the seventeenth century. Yet only seven women have officially held the title Princess Royal.

The current holder, Princess Anne, received it from Queen Elizabeth II in June 1987. She was 36 years old, had already completed nearly two decades of public duties, and had represented Britain at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Her appointment came more than 22 years after the previous Princess Royal died.

That long delay explains the title better than any formal definition. Princess Royal is not inherited, awarded at birth, or guaranteed to the monarch’s eldest daughter. The sovereign chooses whether to grant it, and the title can remain unused for decades.

Why the title does not pass automatically

The Princess Royal title is traditionally associated with a monarch’s eldest daughter, but eligibility does not create an automatic claim.

Only one woman can hold the title at a time. She keeps it for life, even after the monarch who granted it dies. The title does not pass to her daughter, and it does not become available merely because a new king or queen takes the throne.

The Princess Royal was known as Princess Anne until Queen Elizabeth II gave her the title in June 1987. Her formal style then became Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

The rules also explain why Queen Elizabeth II never held the title. During the reign of her father, King George VI, the title belonged to Princess Mary, the only daughter of George V. Mary remained Princess Royal until her death in 1965. By then, Elizabeth had already been queen for 13 years.

The title began with a nine-year-old royal bride

The first Princess Royal was Mary, the eldest daughter of Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria.

Henrietta Maria grew up in France, where the king’s eldest daughter was traditionally known as Madame Royale. The English title is generally understood as an adaptation of that French custom.

Mary married William, the future Prince of Orange, in 1641, when she was nine. Charles I designated her Princess Royal in 1642. She later became the mother of William III, who would rule England, Scotland, and Ireland with Mary II.

The first holder’s life also established a pattern that appeared repeatedly in the title’s history. Several Princesses Royal married into foreign ruling families and spent much of their adult lives outside Britain.

Seven holders across nearly four centuries

The second holder was Anne, the eldest daughter of George II. She received the title in 1727, 67 years after the first Mary died. Anne married William IV, Prince of Orange, and later served as regent for their young son.

George III granted the title to his eldest daughter Charlotte in 1789. She married Frederick of Württemberg and became queen when he became king in 1806.

Queen Victoria gave the title to her first child, Victoria, during infancy in 1841. Known within the family as Vicky, she married the future Frederick III of Germany. His reign as German emperor lasted only 99 days in 1888, making her an empress for a little more than three months.

The fifth holder was Louise, the eldest daughter of Edward VII. She became Princess Royal in 1905 and was also Duchess of Fife through her marriage to Alexander Duff.

George V granted the title to his only daughter Mary in 1932. She had married Henry Lascelles, later Earl of Harewood, a decade earlier. Mary supported nursing, women’s organizations, and other public causes. She died at Harewood House on March 28, 1965. Anne then became the seventh holder in 1987.

Princess Anne’s appointment showed royal discretion in action

Anne’s appointment did not follow immediately after Princess Mary’s death. Queen Elizabeth II waited more than two decades before granting the title.

That choice confirms that the title is a personal honor rather than a position that must always be filled. A monarch may delay the decision or leave the title vacant throughout an entire reign.

Anne had built a distinct public identity before receiving it. She began public engagements in 1969 at age 18. In 1971, she won the individual European eventing title, and in 1976 she became the first British royal to compete in the Olympic Games.

By the time she became Princess Royal, the title recognized an established working royal rather than defining a young princess’s future.

Anne turned 75 on August 15, 2025. She remains the seventh Princess Royal and is connected with more than 399 charities, organizations, and military regiments.

Why other royal daughters missed the title

Some eldest royal daughters never became Princess Royal because another woman already held the title. Others had married into foreign royal houses before their fathers became king.

Mary II, the eldest daughter of James II, was already Princess of Orange and later became queen in her own right. Sophia Dorothea, George I’s only daughter, was already Queen in Prussia when her father took the British throne.

These examples show why the list remained so short. The title depends on timing, availability, family position, and the monarch’s personal decision.

Could Princess Charlotte become the eighth Princess Royal?

Princess Charlotte of Wales may one day become eligible, but several conditions would have to be met.

Her father, Prince William, would first need to become king. The title would also need to be vacant. Princess Anne holds it for life, so Charlotte cannot receive it while Anne remains the Princess Royal.

Even then, the title would not pass automatically. William would decide whether and when to grant it.

Charlotte’s place in the line of succession is governed by a separate rule. The Succession to the Crown Act changes ended male preference for people born after October 28, 2011. That allowed Charlotte to remain ahead of her younger brother Prince Louis. The reform changed succession rights, but it did not change the Princess Royal custom.

That distinction keeps the title rare. Royal daughters may gain clearer succession rights under modern law, while Princess Royal remains a lifetime honor controlled by the sovereign.

Princess Anne’s title carries almost four centuries of history, but its meaning rests on a simple fact. Seven women have held it because no royal daughter can claim it for herself. Each appointment requires an available title, an eligible princess, and a monarch willing to make the grant.