What happens after the Dukes of Gloucester, Kent and Prince Michael of Kent have passed on?

Question

The Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent have children. What happens after the Dukes of Gloucester, Kent and Prince Michael of Kent have passed on? Will their children be considered royal, though none of them have the style of royal highness?

Answer 1

None are royal. The non-royal peerage title passes on to the eldest son. Prince Michael's children are not royally titled and bear courtesy stylings of Lord or Lady. Younger children of the Kents and Gloucesters are also styled Lord or Lady.



Only the children of a monarch, the grandchildren of the monarch, and the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales bear royal status under Letters Patent written by George V:

"... it being Our Royal Will and Pleasure that 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 Our Will and Pleasure further is that Our Earl Marshal of England or his deputy for the time being do cause these our Letters Patent or the enrolment thereof to be recorded in Our College of Arms to the end that Our officers of Arms and all others may take due notice thereof. In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at Westminster the thirtieth day of November in the eighth year of Our reign."



http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/prince_highness_docs.htm#1917_2



Under these rules, the Duke of Gloucester's eldest son,(Alexander) Earl of Ulster, becomes Duke of Gloucester when his father dies. Alexander's sisters are given the courtesy styling "Lady." The Lady Davina Windsor (now The Lady Davina Lewis) and The Lady Rose Windsor (The Lady Rose Gilman), and their brother do not carry out official duties and are private citizens.



THe Duke of Kent's eldest son will inherit the dukedom when nis father dies, while others bear courtesy stylings of Lord of Lady.George, Earl of St Andrews, becomes the next duke; Lady Helen Taylor, and Lord Nicholas Windsor have courtesy stylings of younger children of a duke. None of the children carry out official Royal duties.

Answer 2

They cease to be 'royal' due to rules formulated by George V, but continue to be Dukes if male. As male grandchildren of a monarch the present incumbents are all princes, but since the next generation does not qualify, they do not acquire HRH status.



Eg - Prince Richard is the Duke of Gloucester (unexpectedly succeeding to the title owing to the death of Prince William who was without issue): when Alexander, the Earl of Ulster succeeds to the title of the Duke of Gloucester, he won't be (and is not) a prince.

Answer 3

Simple answer: they will always be considered members of the extended royal family, but they are not royal and never will be. Royal status ends at the generational level of male-line grandchildren of monarchs, unless special exceptions are made by a monarch, as in the case of Prince George of Cambridge and any siblings he might have.

Answer 4

It depends on what you mean "royal". They are already not members of the Royal Family due to the reform of George which downsized it considerably.



However, for you, me and everyday people they are now and will remain "royal", since they are of recent royal decent, they bare (some) titles and they are high in the line of succession.

Answer 5

Their sons will take their Peerage title, but not their princely one. They shall be Peers, but not royalty.



Prince Michael of Kent's title will not be passed on to his sons. He holds no Peerage owing to his marriage to a Roman Catholic.