Does the 1917 letters patent need updating (Not Harry related)

[LadyOfACertainAge]

As we’ve now updated the order of succession to remove male preference does it makes sense that only the grandchildren of the monarch through the male line are princes/princesses?

Surely it should be all grandchildren or even even just the children of the eldest child? Else we could be in a position where Charlotte’s children are not automatically entitled but Louis’ children are.

It different to Princess Anne as Peter was behind his three uncles when born and likely to keep dropping back as at least one of them would have children. If Charlotte has children before George they would be 3rd in line.

I think for the next generation, only George's children should be titled. That's how it is in most of the other European monarchies. I hope Charles issues Letters Patent to that effect at some point, and makes it gender neutral. It won't matter for this generation as George is a boy, but the principle should be there.

Of course this is Harry related. What you are asking is should Charles remove Archie and Lillibet's titles?

@CanOfPop eh???

No it wouldn't remove their titles as it's via the male line.

This is a discussion for the next generation the grandchildren of William AND Harry.

None of them should get a title and they should hold a public lottery to give the title to a new family just to see if they could be as shit as this current lot are.

I don't think there's any question of Harry's grandchildren having titles as they are not in direct line.

But yes, it's obvious that the OP is talking about George's generation going forward, not taking titles away from anyone now.

It’s really not. It’s coming at it from an equality point of view.

I’ve just seen these “1917 letters patent” quoted a lot recently and it’s got me thinking

If I were monarch, I would be changing them so that only the great- and grandchildren of the monarch in the direct line receive the royal style of HRH and prince or princess.

I wouldn't give it retrospective effect, so those who qualified on previous LP retain what they have.

But I'd make the change well before the Wales DC are old enough to marry, so that they all get used to it before any hypothetical future DC are born

Okay so take away Eugenie, Beatrice, Archie Lillibet, Andrew, Harry and Anne's titles then? I would be fine with that.

And Edward, Sophie and Sarah of course.

I think you're just trying to provoke an argument for some reason.

@EdithWeston specifically said she wouldn't make any such laws retrospective.

It’s clear the op means going forward. Ie George’s dc.

I think it would be a good move without ‘penalising’ this generation.

Who is Sarah?

Sarah Ferguson

What's she got to do with the price of eggs?

And her husband would always be a prince because he is the son of the monarch.

In any case, as you've been told, nobody here is proposing removing titles from those who already have them, so your hypothetical scenarios aren't really relevant.

Yes, it should be equivalent between grandchildren of the male line and grandchildren of the female line.

Sarah Ferguson is the Duchess of York and Andrew is the Duke. Or are you just talking about Prince and Princess titles?

I don't think anyone has seriously suggested that children of a monarch would be affected. It's more about whether the DGC and DGGC should still be treated in the 21st century in the same way as they were in the 20th

Thats nothing like what's being asked 🙄

The OP is quite clearly talking about King Charles' great grandchildren.

Everything isn't about the sussexes

Sarah is not the Duchess of York. Since her divorce she has been Sarah, Duchess of York. Not the same thing.

And yes, we are just talking about prince and princess titles. Peerages cannot be altered by Letters Patent.

I think going forward only the grandchildren from the direct line being prince/princess would be sensible.
But not removing titles.
(So only Georges children, not Charlotte's or Louis. Then only the children of Georges eldest child)

And while they are at it, making any other titles equally inheritable by both male and female descendants.

Why not remove titles from them all except direct heirs?

I think they can already do that for peerages, can't they?

The monarch 'creates' each peerage and if they want it be inherited by both male and female descendants, they just have to write that in to the decree. Or they can make it a life peerage only, as Charles did for Edward last week.

Because they might want to keep siblings with the same arrangements.

So all of George's future DC would get them, because one day (barring tragic accidents) they will be the DC of a monarch. But not Charlotte's or Louis' because (again barring tragic accidents) they won't.

*I think going forward only the grandchildren from the direct line being prince/princess would be sensible.
But not removing titles.
(So only Georges children, not Charlotte's or Louis. Then only the children of Georges eldest child)
That sounds sensible to me. The HRH can go down the eldest route and it could be put in place before the next generation are of age to marry and have children

Charles wanted a slimmed down working royal family and I think he's right to move towards that. The rest can be private citizens.