Why Prince Louis will be given this new title when Prince William becomes King

Prince Louis could have Prince Andrew's Duke of York title

Why Prince Louis will be given this new title when Prince William becomes King
(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images/Future)

The title Prince Louis will likely inherit when his father, Prince William, becomes King has a sentimental connection for The Queen.


Members of the Royal Family have hugely important official titles that date back centuries, and it is no different today. 

Prince Louis older siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, will eventually take on some of the most important senior royal titles when they reach adulthood and their father becomes King

But the youngest Cambridge sibling is expected to carry a title that has significant ties to royal history and a particular sentimental connection for The Queen.

Prince Louis Arthur Charles was born on April 23, 2018, at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.

His current title is His Royal Highness Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, and he sits fifth-in-line to the throne. But this will all change when his grandfather, and then again when his father, becomes the king.

When Prince Charles becomes King and therefore Prince William becomes the Prince of Wales, Louis will be officially known as HRH Prince Louis of Cornwall and Cambridge. 

The addition of 'Cornwall' to the young Prince's title comes from the passing down of the most senior Dukedom, the Duke of Cornwall, to his father from Prince Charles.

Following Prince William’s official title change to the Prince of Wales, Prince Louis and his siblings will become Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis of Wales.

Looking further ahead, Prince Louis is in line to inherit a historic Dukedom when he marries.

Just as his father was made the Duke of Cambridge, and his uncle Prince Harry was made the Duke of Sussex, on his wedding day, Louis could one day be the Duke of York.

Royal tradition dictates that the Duke of York title be given to the monarch’s second-oldest son. So, if Prince William is on the throne and the title is vacant, then Prince Louis will likely take on that style.

Previous Dukes of York include The Queen’s grandfather, King George V and her father, King George VI, so there are several significant sentimental links for the Queen.

The Queen also gave the title to Prince Andrew, who is widely regarded to be her favourite son, when he married Sarah Ferguson in 1986. Andrew still holds the title, so it would be unavailable to give to Prince Louis if Andrew was still alive when the Prince chooses to marry.

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News writer

Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a news writer for Goodtoknow, specialising in family content. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.