Princess Charlotte will need to seek “express permission” from the reigning monarch if she wants her children to hold royal titles, following a longstanding family tradition.

When Prince George eventually becomes King, his children will automatically receive HRH titles, such as Prince or Princess. However, this privilege won’t extend to Princess Charlotte’s children, despite her younger brother, Prince Louis, receiving the same courtesy.

The reason for this lies in an outdated royal custom where titles are traditionally passed down through male heirs, not female ones. Etiquette expert Lucy Hume explained this to Town & Country, stating, “Royal titles are inherited through sons, so if Princess Charlotte has children, they would not automatically inherit the titles HRH, Prince, or Princess.”

However, there is an exception—Charlotte could still pass on royal titles if she received special approval from the monarch, who would either be her father, Prince William, when he becomes King, or her brother, Prince George, after that.

A similar situation occurred with Queen Elizabeth II. Her sons, Charles and Andrew, passed down royal titles to their children—William, Harry, Beatrice, and Eugenie. Meanwhile, her only daughter, Princess Anne, declined the offer of titles for her children, Peter and Zara Phillips.

Hume explained: “For Peter and Zara Phillips, the Queen offered to give them a royal title when they were born, but Princess Anne and Captain Phillips opted to decline this offer.”

Reflecting on this decision in an interview with Vanity Fair for her 70th birthday, Princess Anne stated, “It was probably the right thing to do. I think it was probably easier for them, and I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles.”

Meanwhile, another royal tradition is set to affect Prince George in the near future.

At 11 years old, George is already accustomed to following strict royal protocols alongside his younger siblings, Charlotte and Louis. Even at school, they use different names, formally known as George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales, in recognition of their parents’ titles. This follows the same pattern as Prince William and Prince Harry, who were known as William Wales and Harry Wales during their school years.

However, when George turns 12 in July 2025, he will be required to travel separately from his family during royal visits and tours. As the second in line to the throne, he won’t be allowed to travel with his father, Prince William, who is the direct heir. This rule ensures that if a tragedy were to occur, the royal succession remains intact.

King Charles’ former pilot, Graham Laurie, explained the protocol to OK! Magazine: “We flew all four: the Prince, the Princess, Prince William, and Prince Harry, up until Prince William was 12 years old. After that, he had to have a separate aircraft, and we could only fly all four together when they were young with the written permission of Her Majesty.”

This unwritten rule has been in place for decades due to past royal tragedies, including the deaths of Prince Philip’s sister, Princess Cecilie, in 1937, Queen Elizabeth II’s uncle, Prince George, in 1942, and her cousin, Prince William of Gloucester, in 1972.

However, the rule is ultimately at the monarch’s discretion, meaning King Charles or Prince William could adjust it if they choose.

In fact, William previously broke tradition in 2014 when he and Kate were granted permission to fly with their children together for their Australian tour. At the time, the royal press office confirmed to BBC’s Newsround: “They had to ask the Queen for permission, but she said yes.”

While traditions continue to shape the royal family’s future, exceptions have been made in the past, leaving room for possible changes in the years ahead.