The royal children of Prince William and Kate Middleton are expected to have their surnames changed in the future as part of a special Royal Family tradition.
After their marriage in 2011, Prince William and Kate Middleton have shared three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Their eldest son, Prince George, was born on July 22, 2013, and is third in line to the throne after his father and his grandfather, Prince Charles. Princess Charlotte, the only daughter of the royal couple, was born on 2 May 2015 and is fourth in line to the throne. Their youngest brother, Prince Louis, was born on April 23, 2018, and holds the fifth place in the line of succession.
At such small ages, the royal children may not know that their life will undergo significant changes in the future when Prince Charles inherits the British throne. According to royal tradition, when the Prince of Wales is crowned the King, his grandchildren's titles and surnames will also have to change. Here are details about how the change will come to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
What are their current titles and surnames?
As the son and daughter of Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, the trio's current official title contains the word 'Cambridge' just like their father. Specifically, Prince George's official title is His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge. However, according to Express UK, the Cambridge children will soon have to take the surname of Wales if their grandfather, Prince Charles, becomes the King and their father, Prince William, becomes the Prince of Wales. So, in the future, we'll be likely to see the royal name of George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales.
Why are they made to change their names?
The royal tradition of changing surname has passed on from generation to generation, with the latest case of Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry. According to Cosmopolitan, as children, the brothers grew up with the surname Wales, which they inherited from their father Prince Charles, or the Prince of Wales. When serving in the army, Prince William took the rank of Lieutenant Wales, while his brother was Captain Wales.
Cosmopolitan reports that as they got married, however, the brothers were given different royal titles by the Queen. After Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011, his royal title was changed to the Duke of Cambridge, which set the titles for his three children.
However, when Prince Charles inherits the throne and becomes the King of England in the future, his title of the Prince of Wales will be passed on directly to Prince William. In that case, Kate Middleton will take on the title of the Princess of Wales, which has been left vacant since the death of Princess Diana in 1997. And just like their father in the past, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis will have their surnames changed to Wales.
However, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis can also revert back to using the family name of Mountbatten-Windsor when eldest brother Prince George becomes the Prince of Wales. In other words, when Prince William becomes the King and Prince George, his eldest son, becomes the heir apparent to the throne, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be free to use the family name of Mountbatten-Windsor.
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