Style and title?

Question

If my mother was a Princess (say a princess of France as the daughter of a french pretender) and my dad was a British duke (as a courtesy title), what would that make me. Would that make me a prince if my mother never renounced her title at the time of marriage or would I be given a courtesy title in corespondance with my fathers title. I think it would make me the prince of whatever my father is the duke of.

Answer 1

Your style and title would most likely depend solely on your father's style and title. For example: Princess Caroline of Monaco has four children. Three are from her marriage to Stefano Casiraghi, a wealthy businessman. Those children, while they hold a place in line to the throne, do not have a title or a style. However, her daughter Alexandra is a HRH and given the title of Princess of Hanover courtesy of her father, Prince Ernst August of Hanover.

Answer 2

Your mother would still be a Princess in her own right but she would be known as  Princess Samantha, Duchess of Yorkshire.   You would probably be known as The Honorable  Samuel/Sophia or Yorkshire.

Answer 3

As the child of a sitting Duke, you would technically be a Prince/ss anyways.  Since most are the children of rulers (or used to be).  However, if the style of Prince/ss was not available (since you don't live in a Principality or Dukedom) then you would be styled "Lord or Lady."  However, often one of the parents gives up one of their titles to their offspring.  Such as the Duchess of Kent (the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth gave up her title as Duchess of Kent so that Andrew and Sarah could be styled the Duke and Duchess of Kent.  Therefore, after that, the Queen Mother would be called the "Dowager Dutchess of Kent" meaning she was the mother or grandmother of the present Duke or Dutchess and that her husband had died.  She wouldn't even miss it, because she was still the "Dowager Dutchess" of Kent.  However, such as Princess Diana's brother was Viscount Althorp until his father died and he became Earl Spencer (Count Spencer.)  Diana's home was called Althorp House.

Answer 4

*IF* your Mum was a princes of France you would be married off and as the french did not (usually) let females inherit titles you would take your hubby's title

I do not think that courtesy titles are inherited

where /how did you come to the Idea that you would be princ/ess of anything?

Answer 5

You would inherit your father's title,but would be styled by your father's next title down,that he possesses. Let's say your father is Duke of Rose,Marquess Rutledge,Earl Carnivore and Baron of Roth,as the eldest son, you'd be titled  Lord Given Name Surname,Marquess Rutledge...

Answer 6

Ignoring the specific legalities of your chosen example and assuming you could inherit both titles of Prince of X and Duke of Y, that is exactly the titles you could inherit.  For example Prince Charles is Duke of Cornwall as that is a Duchy despite the fact that he is also a Prince.  Only the sovereign could raise the title or, in theory, if your Duchy become and independent country it's Constitution could raise you to a prince or king.   George III of The United Kingdom was Elector of Hanover which changed changed to King of Hanover in 1814.

To answer SUE's subsequent question, a Duke is not always a Prince and vice versa.  An individual can hold more than one title such a Marquess of X, Earl of Y.  Under Prince/Princess the titles of the UK peerage are (in descending order) male/female

Duke/Duchess

Marquess/Marchoiness

Earl/Countess (an earl is equivalent to a count in other countries)

Viscount/Viscountess

Baron/Baroness - simply called lord or lady B.... of X with the exception of Life Baronesses in their own right who use the title Baroness to indicate they have earned the title and not their husband such as Baroness Thatcher and Baroness Jay

A Baronet is the lowest heriditary title (styled Sir like a knight) but is not a peer.  A Baronet outranks knights EXCEPT Knights of the Garter

Answer 7

Wait a minute.  Isn't a Duke just a prince, anyway?  Prince Andrew is the Duke of York, and the Duke of Windsor was the Prince of Wales/King of England.

So, then, What's the question?

Guess I'm not the only one with too much time on my hands and a computer on my lap  :)

Answer 8

You would not inherit any titles from your mother, since titles and styles aren't carried through the female line. If your father was a British "Duke" and you are the eldest son, then you will inherit your father's title and style.