Why Is Princess Anne Called Princess Royal? The Rare Title Explained

Princess Anne has one of the most familiar titles in the British Royal Family, but it is also one of the most misunderstood.

Many people know her simply as Princess Anne. Others hear her official style, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, and wonder whether it means she is the most senior princess, a future queen, or a royal with special power. The answer is simpler, but also more interesting.

Princess Anne is called The Princess Royal because Queen Elizabeth II granted her that title in June 1987. It is a rare historic title traditionally given to the monarch’s eldest daughter, but it is not automatic, it is not inherited in the normal way, and it can usually be held by only one living woman at a time.

"That is why Anne was born a princess in 1950, but did not become The Princess Royal until she was already an adult."

The title explains a royal rule, but it also says something about Anne herself. Over decades of public service, she has made the title feel less like decoration and more like a working identity.

Princess Anne Was Not Born The Princess Royal

Princess Anne was born Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise on August 15, 1950, at Clarence House in London. She was the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Her older brother later became King Charles III.

At birth, Anne was already a princess. But she was not yet The Princess Royal.

That distinction matters because “Princess Anne” and “The Princess Royal” are not the same thing. One describes who she was by birth. The other is a special title that had to be granted later by the monarch.

According to the official royal website, Anne was known as Princess Anne until she was given the title of The Princess Royal by The Queen in June 1987. That means she spent more than three decades of her life as Princess Anne before receiving the title most closely attached to her public identity today.

This is where the confusion often begins. In everyday language, people may assume that every princess gets a grand title automatically. The British Royal Family does not work that simply. Some titles come by birth, some by marriage, some by the monarch’s decision, and some depend on whether an older titleholder is still alive.

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What The Princess Royal Title Actually Means

The title Princess Royal is traditionally given to the monarch’s eldest daughter. In Anne’s case, she was Queen Elizabeth II’s only daughter, so she fit the traditional condition.

But there is one important catch: the title is not automatic.

The monarch must grant it. A princess does not simply become Princess Royal the moment her parent becomes king or queen. The title is also normally held for life, which means a new Princess Royal is not usually appointed while the previous holder is still living.

"That is why the title is so rare."

Princess Royal sounds broad, but it has a very specific meaning. It does not mean Anne is the highest-ranking royal overall. It does not place her above the monarch, the heir to the throne, or other senior working royals in the line of succession. It also does not give her political power.

It is an honorary royal title with deep tradition behind it.

This makes it different from titles such as Princess of Wales, Queen Consort, Duchess, or Countess. Each title has its own history, purpose, and rule. That is why royal titles can seem confusing from the outside. The same family can use titles that sound similar but operate in completely different ways.

In Anne’s case, The Princess Royal is a title of honor, history, and identity. It marks her as the monarch’s daughter, but it does not make her a ruler.

Why Queen Elizabeth II Could Give Anne The Title In 1987

Queen Elizabeth II gave Anne the title Princess Royal in June 1987, but one natural question is why Anne did not receive it earlier.

The answer involves the previous holder.

Before Princess Anne, the title belonged to Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood. She was the daughter of King George V and the great-aunt of Princess Anne. Princess Mary died in 1965, which meant the title became vacant.

Still, Anne did not receive it immediately after Princess Mary’s death. The title remained vacant for about 22 years before Queen Elizabeth II granted it to Anne in 1987.

That long gap is a useful reminder that the title does not move automatically. Even when a princess is eligible and even when the title is vacant, the monarch still decides whether and when to grant it.

There is also another interesting detail. Queen Elizabeth II herself was never Princess Royal when she was a princess. That may seem surprising because she was the eldest daughter of King George VI. But during Elizabeth’s youth, Princess Mary was still alive and already held the title. Because only one living woman can normally hold it at a time, Elizabeth could not receive it.

So Anne’s title carries more than family pride. It carries the memory of a line of royal women who held it before her.

A Rare Title With French Roots

The title Princess Royal has roots that go back to the 17th century.

It was inspired by the French style “Madame Royale,” which was used for the eldest daughter of the King of France. Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles I, wanted a similar style for the eldest daughter of the English monarch.

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

Since then, the title has been used only rarely. Princess Anne is the seventh Princess Royal in British royal history. That number alone shows why the title feels unusual. Across centuries of monarchy, only seven women have held it.

"It is not a title handed out for popularity."

It is not a title that every royal princess can expect. It exists at the meeting point of birth, timing, tradition, and the monarch’s choice.

That is what makes Anne’s title both simple and special.

Why Princess Charlotte Is Not Princess Royal Today

Princess Charlotte is often part of this conversation because many royal watchers wonder whether she will one day become Princess Royal.

The short answer is that she is not Princess Royal today because Princess Anne still holds the title. The title is held for life, and Anne remains The Princess Royal.

There is another reason too. Princess Charlotte is the daughter of Prince William, not the daughter of the current monarch. Since King Charles III is the monarch, his eldest daughter would be the traditional candidate for Princess Royal. He does not have a daughter.

In the future, if Prince William becomes king, Princess Charlotte would be his eldest daughter. That could make her eligible one day, but eligibility is not the same as certainty.

For Charlotte to become Princess Royal in the future, the title would need to be vacant, and the monarch would still need to grant it. It would not happen automatically.

That detail is important because royal title discussions can easily become misleading. Charlotte has an important place in the modern line of succession, but that does not mean she already has Anne’s title or is guaranteed to receive it.

Anne’s title belongs to Anne for life. Charlotte’s future role will depend on timing, royal decision-making, and tradition.

Why The Title Fits Princess Anne So Well

The official reason Anne is called The Princess Royal is clear: Queen Elizabeth II gave her the title in 1987 because Anne was the monarch’s daughter and the title was available.

But the reason the title feels so respected today has a lot to do with Anne herself.

Princess Anne has built one of the most consistent public-service records in the modern Royal Family. Royal.uk says she is involved with more than 399 charities, organizations, and military regiments in the United Kingdom and overseas. The same official royal feature says she has completed hundreds of overseas visits across hundreds of tours.

Anne is also known for her long connection to sport and public duty. She became the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in an Olympic Games when she joined the British equestrian team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. She also won individual gold at the 1971 European Eventing Championships.

Those facts matter because they shape the public meaning of the title.

Some royal titles feel ceremonial from a distance. Anne’s title feels practical because her public image is practical. She is often seen as disciplined, direct, steady, and focused on work rather than attention. Even people who do not follow royal titles closely often understand her reputation as one of the family’s most reliable working members.

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At Famenex, my read is that this is why the title has lasted so strongly in public memory. The words “Princess Royal” may come from history, but Anne gave them a modern personality.

"She made the title feel less like a formal label and more like a description of duty."

The Simple Answer Behind A Special Title

So, why is Princess Anne called Princess Royal?

She is called The Princess Royal because Queen Elizabeth II granted her the title in June 1987. The title is traditionally carried by the monarch’s eldest daughter, it is held for life, and it can usually be used by only one living woman at a time.

Anne was not born with the title. She did not inherit it automatically. It did not make her a queen, a ruler, or a political figure. It made her the seventh Princess Royal in British royal history.

That is the rule.

But the reason people still care about the title is bigger than the rule. Princess Anne has spent decades showing what a working royal title can look like when it is paired with discipline, service, and consistency.

"The title came from royal tradition. Its modern meaning comes from Anne."