Is Duchess Sophie a Princess? The surprising royal title that she never uses

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh is a senior member of the Royal Family and although she’s primarily known by this prestigious title now, there's another one she doesn't use.

Like so many of her fellow royals including the Prince and Princess of Wales, Duchess Sophie holds several titles, though her most senior one is Duchess of Edinburgh. She received this in 2023 when Prince Edward was granted the title Duke of Edinburgh by King Charles on his 59th birthday. For decades after marrying Prince Edward in 1999, Duchess Sophie was known as Countess of Wessex and though Prince Edward’s most senior title might have changed, he will always be known by his Princely title too, like several others high up in the royal line of succession.

Because of this, it’s perhaps all-too easy to wonder whether Duchess Sophie is a Princess and here we reveal all you need to know about the title she doesn’t use.

Is Duchess Sophie a Princess?

It’s understood that Duchess Sophie is technically a Princess because she is the wife of a Prince, though it’s not a title that’s used by her and never has been. The wife of a royal Prince is entitled to use the feminine forms of her husband’s titles. We’ve seen this with Duchess Sophie being referred to as the Duchess of Edinburgh and formerly Countess of Wessex and of Forfar, in line with Prince Edward being Duke of Edinburgh and Earl of Wessex and of Forfar.

As he is also a Prince it would make sense that Sophie could also have taken on the feminine form of this title. But rather than being Princess Sophie, she would likely be Princess Edward, Duchess of Edinburgh. This is because she is not a Princess in her own right and the same is true of Princess Michael of Kent - the wife of the late Queen Elizabeth’s cousin Prince Michael of Kent.

Her first name is Marie-Christine, but her Princess title is not hers by birthright so her title reflects her husband’s name instead of hers. This can sometimes be changed, but it is very rare that this happens, as only Princesses born into the Royal Family tend to be known by their first names, like Princesses Anne, Beatrice, Eugenie, Charlotte and Lilibet.

According to The Telegraph, a courtier previously claimed ahead of Prince William and Kate’s wedding in 2011 that the future King allegedly wished for his now-wife to become Princess Catherine after their marriage. As we know, this didn’t happen, and the claim was remarked upon by royal historian Kenneth Rose.

"Kate is a commoner and could not be known as 'Princess Catherine'. However, it is up to the Queen what title she gives her and there have been one or two exceptions," Kenneth alleged. "When Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester died, the Queen gave the Duchess of Gloucester the title Princess Alice. This was, though, to reward her for years of loyal service."

The expert expressed his belief that if Queen Elizabeth had made an exception for Kate, it might have led some royals, like Princess Michael of Kent, to request a similar change in title.

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"If this happened, I am pretty certain that Princess Michael of Kent, for example, would ask to become Princess Marie-Christine,” he declared.

Instead of being known as Princess Catherine, Kate became Duchess of Cambridge after marrying Prince William, who was bestowed with the Duke of Cambridge title by Queen Elizabeth. Since then she's become Princess of Wales too, and it’s been suggested that she's also technically Princess William, but she’s never used this particular Princess title, like Duchess Sophie with 'Princess Edward',

Whilst she might be a Princess as the wife of a Prince, Sophie’s Duchess of Edinburgh title is currently her most senior one and the one she's referred to by. This also means she’s still known by her own first name, which could prevent any potential confusion amongst fans.