British princess
This is a list of those who have held the title Princess of the United Kingdom from the accession of George I in 1714. This article deals with both princesses of the blood royal and women who become princesses upon marriage.
The use of the title of Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is entirely at the will of the sovereign as expressed in letters patent. Individuals holding the title of princess are styled "Her Royal Highness". On 18 April 1917, the newest granddaughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor was styled a British Princess from birth even though Germany and Britain were fighting in WWI. George V wrote Letters Patent on 30 November 1917, to restrict the automatic assignment of the title "Princess" and the use of the style "Royal Highness" to the following persons:
- the legitimate daughters of a British sovereign,
- the legitimate male line granddaughters of a British sovereign,
- the wife of a British prince.
Princesses of the blood royal and princesses by marriage
Under the current practice, princesses of the blood royal are the legitimate daughters and the legitimate male line granddaughters of a British Sovereign. They are dynasts, that is potential successors to the throne. For these individuals, the title "Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" and the style "Her Royal Highness" is an entitlement for life. The title Princess and the style Royal Highness is prefixed to the Christian name, before another title of honour. From 1714 until 1917, the male-line great-granddaughters of the Sovereign were titled "Princess of Great Britain and Ireland" with the style "Highness". Since 1917, the male-line great-granddaughters of the Sovereign have held "the style and title enjoyed by the children of dukes". For example, the daughters of the current Duke of Gloucester, a male line grandson of George V, are styled The Lady Davina Lewis and The Lady Rose Gilman.Princesses by marriage are the recognised wives of the Sovereign's sons and male-line grandsons. Generally, these women are entitled to the style "Royal Highness" by virtue of marriage, and retain the style if widowed. However, Queen Elizabeth II issued Letters Patent dated 21 August 1996 stating that any woman divorced from a Prince of the United Kingdom would no longer be entitled to the style "Royal Highness". This has so far applied to Diana, Princess of Wales, and Sarah, Duchess of York.
Since the passage of the Royal Marriages Act 1772, there have been several instances in which princes of the blood contracted marriages in contravention of that act and several instances in which the Sovereign withheld the style "Her Royal Highness" from a prince's wife deemed to be unsuitable. For example, Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, a male-line grandson of George III, married Sarah Louisa Fairbrother, in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act. Although morganatic marriage did not exist in British law, the duke's wife was never titled the Duchess of Cambridge or accorded the style "Her Royal Highness". Instead, she was known as "Mrs FitzGeorge". Most famously, George VI issued Letters Patent dated 27 May 1937 that entitled The Duke of Windsor "to hold and enjoy for himself only the title style or attribute of Royal Highness so however that his wife and descendants if any shall not hold the said title style or attribute".
The wife of a prince of the blood takes her husband's Christian name in her title as do all married royal women. For example, upon her marriage to Prince Michael of Kent in 1978, Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz assumed the title and style of "Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent". Similarly, upon her marriage to then Prince Richard of Gloucester, the former Birgitte van Deurs assumed the title and style of "Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester".
The situation is slightly different when a woman is married to a prince who happens to be a peer or the Prince of Wales. Upon marriage, the wife of the Prince of Wales becomes "Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales". Upon marriage, the wife of a royal duke becomes "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of X". When Prince Richard of Gloucester succeeded to his father's dukedom in 1974, his wife became "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester".
There is also the case when a princess of blood royal marries a British Prince. She also becomes a princess by marriage and will be addressed in the same way. An example of this situation was the late Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife, when she married her cousin Prince Arthur of Connaught and became "Princess Arthur of Connaught, Duchess of Fife."
It has been traditional, and is still technically the case, that a princess by marriage cannot be called Princess followed by her first name. Diana, Princess of Wales, was consistently referred to as "Princess Diana" by fans and the media, but the use of this title is completely erroneous, as she was not the child of a monarch nor the child of a son of a monarch. However, this tradition was broken once in the past century with Queen Elizabeth's aunt, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, being referred to—with permission from the sovereign—in official sources as such following the death of her husband.
History
The use of the titles prince and princess and the styles of Highness and Royal Highness for members of the Royal Family is of fairly recent usage in the British Isles. Before 1714, there was no settled practice regarding the use of the titles prince and princess other than the heir apparent and his wife. From 1301 onward, the eldest sons of the Kings of England have generally been created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester. Their wives were titled Princess of Wales.The title Princess Royal came into being in 1642 when Queen Henrietta Maria, the French-born wife of Charles I, wished to imitate the way the eldest daughter of the French King was styled. However, there was no settled practice on the use of the title princess for the Sovereign's younger daughters or male-line granddaughters. For example, as late as the time of Charles II, the daughters of his brother James, Duke of York, both of whom became Queens regnant, were called simply "The Lady Mary" and "The Lady Anne". The future Queen Anne was styled princess in her marriage treaty to Prince George of Denmark and then styled "Princess Anne of Denmark" once married. However, in exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye the deposed James II gave the title of Princess Royal to his last daughter, Louisa Maria.
After the accession of George I of Hanover, the princely titles were changed to follow the German practice. The children, grandchildren, and male line great-grandchildren of the British Sovereign were automatically titled "Prince or Princess of Great Britain and Ireland" and styled "Royal Highness" or "Highness". Queen Victoria confirmed this practice in Letters Patent dated 30 January 1864.
On 31 December 2012, Elizabeth II issued letters patent enabling all children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales to enjoy the princely title and style of Royal Highness, as opposed to only the eldest son.
Styling of princesses
Princesses of the blood royal
- Daughter of a Sovereign: HRH The Princess N.
- *The style HRH The Princess Royal is customarily granted by the Sovereign, when vacant, to the Sovereign's eldest daughter.
- Daughter of a son of a Sovereign: HRH Princess N of X, where X is the territorial designation of their father's senior peerage; e.g. HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent.
- *Prior to Princess Charlotte, a daughter of the Prince of Wales: HRH Princess N
- *Prior to 1917, a daughter of a son of a son of a Sovereign: HH Princess N of X
- From 31 December 2012, daughter of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales: HRH Princess N of X.
Princesses by marriage
A princess by marriage is addressed as "Princess Husband's name"; this is akin to a woman being referred to as "Mrs. John Smith". The only recent time this has broken tradition is with the sovereign's express consent. Namely, with Queen Elizabeth II's aunts Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. The former was not a princess by birth, while the latter was born a princess of Greece and Denmark. Both women asked the Queen to use their given names after their husbands' deaths.- Wife of a prince who has a peerage: HRH The Duchess/Countess of X, or, prior to 1917, possibly HH
- *Since 1996, divorced wife of a prince who held a peerage: N, Duchess/Countess of X.
- Wife of a son of a Sovereign, who has no peerage: HRH The Princess Husband.
- Wife of another prince who has no peerage: HRH Princess Husband of X.
- Prior to 1917, the wife of a prince in the third generation, who has no peerage: HH Princess Husband of X.
Exceptions
- There were only two historical princesses who would have been exceptions to the 1917 rule, but they died before Queen Victoria's marriage. The sisters Sophia Matilda and Caroline Augusta Maria born in 1773 and 1774 were male line great-granddaughters of George II. All of the other exceptions were still alive in 1917 and were no longer permitted to use the style of HRH and Princess except for one niece of George V who used the title until her marriage in 1923.
- In November 1905, Edward VII allowed the two daughters of Louise, Princess Royal to use a princely title and the style of Highness. They were not entitled to the style of Royal Highness, and indeed Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk, discontinued the use of "Princess" after her marriage. The 1917 letters patent which stripped great-grandchildren of a British sovereign of the style of Highness with a princely title was complicated as it did not technically overrule Edward VII's letters patent, as the former practice was mostly an unspoken courtesy as opposed to a written rule. The Countess of Southesk did honor her uncle's wishes in that respect after her marriage, and Princess Alexandra did not need to choose as she married a male-line grandson of Queen Victoria.
- Anne, Princess Royal, had the style and title Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of Edinburgh from birth in 1950, even though she was a female-line grandchild of the Sovereign, being born to the future Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, during the reign of Elizabeth's father, George VI, who had no sons. George VI issued letters patent on 22 October 1948, granting the style to Elizabeth's children.
- In 1961, when her son married, The Duchess of Kent asked Queen Elizabeth to extend the use of a princely title to precede her first name, in order to avoid confusion with her daughter-in-law, Katharine Worsley, the new Duchess of Kent. As she was born a princess of Greece and Denmark, this was not incredibly notable, although traditionally she would have been styled as Her Royal Highness The Dowager Duchess of Kent. After this she was styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent.
- In 1974, the Duchess of Gloucester asked Queen Elizabeth for the same title as her sister-in-law, then Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, with a princely title preceding her first name. Unlike Princess Marina, Alice had never been a princess in her own right, thus this allowance was far more unusual. Instead of being referred to as Her Royal Highness The Dowager Duchess of Gloucester, as is customary, she became Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.
- In 2003, upon the request of Queen Elizabeth's youngest son, Edward, the Queen retracted the style of Royal Highness and princely title from all children born to him. As male-line grandchildren of a British monarch, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, would traditionally enjoy a princely title and style.
- In December 2012, Queen Elizabeth issued letters patent that stated that all children born to the eldest child of Charles, Prince of Wales, would enjoy a princely title and style, and not just the eldest son. Although in effect in 2012, it did not technically come into usage until the birth of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge in 2015.
List of princesses of the blood royal since 1714
| Title at birth | Birth | Death | Lineage | Comments |
| Sophia Dorothea | 1687 | 1757 | Only daughter of King George I | Gained title in 1714 upon accession of her father as King George I. Queen-consort of Prussia 1713–1740. |
| Anne | 1709 | 1759 | 1st daughter of King George II | Gained title in 1714 upon accession of her grandfather as King George I. Princess of Orange. |
| Amelia Sophia Eleanor | 1711 | 1786 | 2nd daughter of King George II | Gained title in 1714 upon accession of her grandfather as King George I. |
| Caroline Elizabeth | 1713 | 1757 | 3rd daughter of King George II | Gained title in 1714 upon accession of her grandfather as King George I. |
| Mary | 1723 | 1772 | 4th daughter of King George II | Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel |
| Louise | 1724 | 1751 | 5th daughter of King George II | Queen of Denmark 1746-1751. |
| Augusta Frederica | 1737 | 1813 | 1st daughter of Frederick & Granddaughter of King George II | Duchess of Brunswick 1780–1806. |
| Elizabeth Caroline | 1741 | 1759 | 2nd daughter of Frederick & Granddaughter of King George II | |
| Louise Anne | 1749 | 1768 | 3rd daughter of Frederick & Granddaughter of King George II | |
| Caroline Matilda | 1751 | 1775 | 4th daughter of Frederick & Granddaughter of King George II | Queen of Denmark and Norway 1767–1775. |
| Charlotte Augusta Matilda | 1766 | 1828 | 1st daughter of King George III | Held the title 'The Princess Charlotte' from birth and formally styled Princess Royal in 1789. Queen of Württemberg 1806–1816. |
| Augusta Sophia | 1768 | 1840 | 2nd daughter of King George III | |
| Elizabeth | 1770 | 1840 | 3rd daughter of King George III | Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg |
| Mary | 1776 | 1857 | 4th daughter of King George III | Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh |
| Sophia Matilda | 1777 | 1848 | 5th daughter of King George III | |
| Amelia | 1783 | 1810 | 6th daughter of King George III | |
| Sophia Matilda | 1773 | 1844 | 1st daughter of Prince William Henry & Great-Granddaughter of King George II | Granted style of Royal Highness in 1816. |
| Caroline Augusta Maria | 1774 | 1775 | 2nd daughter of Prince William Henry & Great-Granddaughter of King George II | |
| Charlotte Augusta | 1796 | 1817 | Only daughter of King George IV | Death in childbirth left Kingdom without direct line heir. Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. |
| Charlotte Augusta Louisa | 1819 | 1819 | 1st daughter of King William IV | |
| Elizabeth Georgiana Adelaide | 1820 | 1821 | 2nd daughter of King William IV | |
| Alexandrina Victoria | 1819 | 1901 | Only daughter of Prince Edward & Granddaughter of King George III | Succeeded as Queen Victoria, reigned 1837–1901. Title held until her accession in 1837 as Queen Victoria. |
| Augusta Caroline Charlotte Elizabeth Mary Sophia Louise | 1822 | 1916 | Granddaughter of George III | Daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge; Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1860–1904. |
| Mary Adelaide Wilhemina Elizabeth | 1833 | 1897 | Granddaughter of George III | Daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge; mother of Queen Mary. Duchess of Teck |
| Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa | 1840 | 1901 | Daughter of Queen Victoria | Held the title 'The Princess Victoria' from birth and styled 'The Princess Royal' in 1841. German Empress and Queen of Prussia 1888 and mother of William II, German Emperor and King of Prussia. |
| Alice Maud Mary | 1843 | 1878 | Daughter of Queen Victoria | Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine 1877–1878. |
| Helena Augusta Victoria | 1846 | 1923 | Daughter of Queen Victoria | |
| Frederica Sophie Marie Henrietta Amelia Theresa | 1848 | 1926 | Great-granddaughter of George III | Title from birth until 30 November 1917, daughter of George V of Hanover. |
| Louise Caroline Alberta | 1848 | 1939 | Daughter of Queen Victoria | |
| Marie Ernestine Josephine Adolphine Henrietta Theresa Elisabeth Alexandrina | 1849 | 1904 | Great-granddaughter of George III | Daughter of George V of Hanover. |
| Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore | 1857 | 1944 | Daughter of Queen Victoria | Princess Henry of Battenberg |
| Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar | 1867 | 1931 | Daughter of Edward VII | Held the title 'Princess Louise of Wales' from birth, 'The Princess Louise' from her father's accession in 1901 and styled 'The Princess Royal' in 1905. |
| Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary | 1868 | 1935 | Daughter of Edward VII | Held the title 'Princess Victoria of Wales' from birth, 'The Princess Victoria' from her father's accession in 1901, held title until death. |
| Maud Charlotte Mary Victoria | 1869 | 1938 | Daughter of Edward VII | Queen of Norway 1905–1938. |
| Marie Alexandra Victoria | 1875 | 1938 | Granddaughter of Queen Victoria | Daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh; Queen of Romania 1914–1927. |
| Victoria Melita | 1876 | 1936 | Granddaughter of Queen Victoria | Daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh; Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine 1894–1901; de jure Empress of All Russia 1924-1936. |
| Alexandra Louise Olga Victoria | 1878 | 1942 | Granddaughter of Queen Victoria | Daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. |
| Marie Louise Victoria Caroline Amelia Alexandra Augusta Frederica | 1879 | 1948 | Great-great-granddaughter of George III | Title from birth until 30 November 1917, daughter of Crown Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover. |
| Margaret Victoria Charlotte Augusta Norah | 1882 | 1920 | Granddaughter of Queen Victoria | Daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn; Crown Princess of Sweden 1907-1920. |
| Alexandra Marie Louise Olga Elizabeth Theresa Vera | 1882 | 1963 | Great-great-granddaughter of George III | Title from birth until 1917, daughter of Crown Prince Ernst Augustus of Hanover. |
| Alice Mary Victoria Augusta Pauline | 1883 | 1981 | Granddaughter of Queen Victoria | Daughter of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. |
| Beatrice Leopoldine Victoria | 1884 | 1966 | Granddaughter of Queen Victoria | Daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. |
| Olga Adelaide Louise Marie Alexandrina Agnes | 1884 | 1958 | Great-great-granddaughter of George III | Title from birth until 30 November 1917, daughter of Crown Prince Ernst Augustus of Hanover. |
| Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth | 1886 | 1974 | Granddaughter of Queen Victoria | Title held from her birth until 1919 when she relinquished her title and style upon marriage, Daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn. |
| Alexandra Victoria Alberta Edwina Louise | 1891 | 1959 | Granddaughter in female line of Edward VII | Title granted by Letters Patent of 1905, Daughter of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife. |
| Maud Alexandra Victoria Georgina Bertha | 1893 | 1945 | Granddaughter in female line of Edward VII | Title granted by Letters Patent of 1905, ceased use of title after her marriage in 1923 although it was never formally relinquished, daughter of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife. |
| Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary | 1897 | 1965 | Daughter of George V | Held the title 'Princess Mary of York' from birth, 'The Princess Mary' on her father's accession in 1910, and styled 'The Princess Royal' in 1932. |
| Sibylla Calma Maria Alice Bathildis Feodora | 1907 | 1972 | Great-granddaughter of Victoria | Title from birth until 30 November 1917, daughter of Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany. Duchess of Västerbotten from 1932 to her death, mother of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. |
| Caroline Matilda Helen Louise Augusta Beatrice | 1912 | 1983 | Great-granddaughter of Victoria | Title from birth until 30 November 1917, daughter of Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany. |
| Frederica Louisa Thyra Victoria Margareta Olga Cécilie Isabella Christa | 1917 | 1981 | Great-great-great-granddaughter of George III | Title from birth until 30 November 1917, daughter of Ernest Augustus, Prince of Hanover and Duke of Brunswick. |
| Elizabeth Alexandra Mary | 1926 | Daughter of George VI | Held the title 'Princess Elizabeth of York' from birth, 'The Princess Elizabeth' from her father's accession in 1936, until her succession in 1952 as Queen Elizabeth II. | |
| Margaret Rose | 1930 | 2002 | Daughter of George VI | Held the title 'Princess Margaret of York' from birth, 'The Princess Margaret' from her father's accession in 1936, and 'The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon' after her marriage, title held title until death. |
| Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel | 1936 | Granddaughter of George V | Daughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent. | |
| Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise | 1950 | Daughter of Elizabeth II | Held the title 'Princess Anne of Edinburgh' from birth, 'The Princess Anne' from her mother's accession, and styled 'The Princess Royal' in 1987. | |
| Beatrice Elizabeth Mary | 1988 | Granddaughter of Elizabeth II | Daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York. After wedding named Mrs Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. | |
| Eugenie Victoria Helena | 1990 | Granddaughter of Elizabeth II | Daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York. After wedding named Mrs Jack Brooksbank. | |
| Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary | 2003 | Granddaughter of Elizabeth II | Daughter of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex; styled as an earl's daughter per her parents' wishes and the will of the Queen. . | |
| Charlotte Elizabeth Diana | 2015 | Great-granddaughter of Elizabeth II | Daughter of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, holds the title 'Princess Charlotte of Cambridge'. |
List of princesses by marriage since 1714
| Princess | Birth | Death | Marriage | Husband | Comments |
| Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach | 1683 | 1737 | 1705 | George, Prince of Wales | Gained title by accession of her father-in-law as George I in 1714 and held it until her husband's accession as George II in 1727. |
| Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha | 1719 | 1772 | 1736 | Frederick, Prince of Wales | |
| Maria Walpole | 1736 | 1807 | 1766 | Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh | |
| Anne Horton | 1742 | 1808 | 1771 | Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn | Gained title by her second marriage. |
| Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia | 1767 | 1820 | 1791 | Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany | |
| Duchess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel | 1768 | 1821 | 1795 | George, Prince of Wales | Held title until her husband's accession as George IV in 1820. |
| Duchess Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | 1778 | 1841 | 1815 | Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale | Gained title by her third marriage and held title until her husband's accession as King Ernest Augustus of Hanover in 1837. |
| Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel | 1797 | 1889 | 1818 | Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge | |
| Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld | 1786 | 1861 | 1818 | Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn | Gained title by her second marriage. |
| Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen | 1792 | 1849 | 1818 | Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews | Held title until her husband's accession as William IV in 1830. |
| Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg | 1818 | 1907 | 1843 | George, Crown Prince of Hanover | Held title until her husband's accession as George V of Hanover in 1851. |
| Princess Alexandra of Denmark | 1844 | 1925 | 1863 | Albert Edward, Prince of Wales | Held title until her husband's accession as Edward VII in 1901. |
| Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia | 1853 | 1920 | 1874 | Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh | Held title until her husband's accession as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1893. |
| Princess Thyra of Denmark | 1853 | 1933 | 1878 | Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover | Husband lost British title of Prince in 1917. |
| Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia | 1860 | 1917 | 1879 | Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn | |
| Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont | 1861 | 1922 | 1882 | Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany | |
| Princess Mary of Teck | 1867 | 1953 | 1893 | Prince George, Duke of York | Held title until her husband's accession as George V in 1910. |
| Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein | 1885 | 1970 | 1905 | Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany | Husband lost British title of Prince in 1919. |
| Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia | 1892 | 1980 | 1913 | Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick | Husband lost British title of Prince in 1917. Princess Viktoria Luise was born Princess of Prussia being the only daughter of the German Kaiser Wilhelm II. |
| Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon | 1900 | 2002 | 1923 | Prince Albert, Duke of York | Held title until her husband's accession as George VI in 1936. |
| Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark | 1906 | 1968 | 1934 | Prince George, Duke of Kent | Princess of Greece and Denmark by birth. However, when she was widowed she reverted her title to Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, styling herself as a princess suo jure in the UK. |
| Lady Alice Montagu-Douglas-Scott | 1901 | 2004 | 1935 | Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester | When she was widowed in 1974 she was granted special permission to style herself as a princess suo jure. |
| Katharine Worsley | 1933 | 1961 | Prince Edward, Duke of Kent | ||
| Birgitte van Deurs | 1946 | 1972 | Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester | ||
| Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz | 1945 | 1978 | Prince Michael of Kent | Gained title by her second marriage. | |
| Lady Diana Spencer | 1961 | 1997 | 1981 | Charles, Prince of Wales | On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales. She lost style of Her Royal Highness upon divorce, and was restyled as "Diana, Princess of Wales". She was also a "Lady" in her own right prior to marriage. |
| Sarah Ferguson | 1959 | 1986 | Prince Andrew, Duke of York | On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York. She lost style of Her Royal Highness and her position as a Princess upon divorce, and was restyled as "Sarah, Duchess of York". | |
| Sophie Rhys-Jones | 1965 | 1999 | Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex | On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex and Viscountess Severn. | |
| Camilla Parker Bowles | 1947 | 2005 | Charles, Prince of Wales | By her second marriage she became: Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay, Countess of Chester. She also holds the title of Princess of Wales but does not use it. | |
| Catherine Middleton | 1982 | 2011 | Prince William, Duke of Cambridge | On marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn and Lady Carrickfergus. | |
| Meghan Markle | 1981 | 2018 | Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | By her second marriage she became: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex, Countess of Dumbarton and Lady Kilkeel. She has elected not to use the style of Her Royal Highness. |
Common names
Of the above named princesses, there are a great number of shared names:- Mary, or similar, occurs thirty-one times – Queen Mary; her daughter, Mary, Princess Royal; Queen Alexandra; Queen Victoria's daughter, Victoria, Princess Royal and her mother, Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent; and, currently, The Queen; Princess Beatrice of York; Lady Louise Windsor; The Duchess of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent among them.
- Louise is borne by twenty-six – including Queen Louise of Denmark; Queen Victoria's daughters, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll and Victoria, Princess Royal, and her mother, Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent; Louise, Princess Royal; Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught; Queens Mary, Alexandra and Adelaide; and, currently, Lady Louise Windsor and Anne, Princess Royal.
- Victoria is the name of twenty-five princesses, nineteen of whom are named for Queen Victoria – among these being her four daughters ; her granddaughter, The Princess Victoria; Mary, Princess Royal; and, currently, Princess Eugenie. Among those not named for the queen are her mother, Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent and Queen Mary.
- Others include Charlotte; Alexandra ; Augusta; Elizabeth; Caroline; Sophie and Matilda.