Which Royal Family members have an HRH title?

The Countess of Wessex recently revealed her children will not be adopting the initials 
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Megan C. Hills9 June 2020

Royal titles are a complex thing, with many members of the Royal Family choosing not to take on a title or - on the flip side - inheriting numerous ones.

Senior members of the Royal Family typically have the letters HRH attached to their titles, however the Countess of Wessex recently revealed her children will not be adopting the initials.

HRH is a reference to either His or Her Royal Highness. Both royals born or who have married into the family have been bestowed the title, though some like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have relinquished their titles after stepping down from senior royal roles.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex
PA

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex discussed whether or not her children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn were likely to take on HRH titles. Sophie revealed that her children were likely not to be senior royals and would probably take on jobs outside the Royal Family.

She said, “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”

Sophie continued that her children go to a “regular school” and she’s tried her best to give them normal lives, which include letting them go on sleepovers and doing “lots of dog walking” at the weekends.

She continued, “I guess not everyone’s grandparents live in a castle, but where you are going is not the important part, or who they are. When they are with the Queen, she is their grandmother.”

Other royals who do not have an HRH title include Zara Tindall, whose lack of a title comes down to tradition. Traditionally only male royals in the line of succession are allowed to pass on an HRH title - Tindall’s mother is the Princess Royal, so therefore she is not able to pass on her HRH title.

Zara Tindall and her husband Mike
Getty Images

This is reportedly due to a declaration that King George V made in 1917 which read, “The grandchildren of the sons of any such Sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of Dukes of these Our Realms.”

Queen Elizabeth amended this rule and offered an HRH title to Tindall but it was turned down by the Princess Royal.

Tindall, who is an Olympic athlete, said previously, “I’m very lucky that both my parents decided to not use the title and we grew up and did all the things that gave us the opportunity to do.”

Besides Tindall, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also dropped the HRH from their title.

Although Meghan obtained the title when she married into the family (like the Duchess of Cambridge), after the Sussex's decision to step down from senior royalty in March, Buckingham Palace said, “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family."

Getty Images

Their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor also does not hold an HRH title. Under King George’s ruling (which was amended to include women in the line of succession by Queen Elizabeth), only Prince William’s children are currently eligible for HRH titles as Prince William is Queen Elizabeth’s grandchild and a direct heir to the throne.

When the title of monarch eventually falls to Prince Charles however, Archie could take on an HRH/prince title but royal expert Roya Nikkah said, “The Sussexes are not using a title for their son in the hope that he will live a more normal life.”

Some controversy surrounded Prince Andrew’s HRH title in February, following his decision to step down after fallout from his connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Duke of York turned 60 in February and unlike previous years, Prince Andrew’s HRH title was omitted from birthday messages on social media, though it is not clear if Prince Andrew has lost the HRH status. On his personal website, he is still referred to as “His Royal Highness.”

Royals who have an HRH title

Prince Philip

Prince Charles

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall

Princess Anne

Prince William

Kate Middleton

Prince George

Princess Charlotte

Prince Louis

The Earl of Wessex

Sophie, the Countess of Wessex

Princess Eugenie

Princess Beatrice

Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

Duke and Duchess of Kent

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent

Princess Alexandra, the Honourable Lady Ogilvy

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