Kate Middleton may be the princess of Wales, but her daughter Princess Charlotte has a stronger claim to some royal bequests owned by her predecessor.
Following Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8, 2022, Kate Middleton officially became the Princess of Wales, a title that lay dormant since the demise of Princess Diana.
But that does not entitle her to all the Royal bequests once belonging to her late mother-in-law. Contrariwise, Kate Middleton’s daughter, Princess Charlotte still has more claims to some of these honors, despite them previously belonging to the other princesses who walked in her shoes.
The reason for this is not far-fetched, given the numerous protocols and succession prominent within the British royal family. What are these royal bequests and why does Charlotte stand to inherit them, and not her mom, who took after Princess Diana?
Which Bequests Are Princess Charlotte Set To Inherit Over Kate Middleton?
Since inheriting the title, Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton has earned some royal privileges deserving of a princess. Her daughter, Charlotte also has some bestowment of her own, including the tiara worn by Princess Diana at her 1981 wedding to King Charles, the new King of the UK and the Commonwealth.
Given her title as the new princess, one would expect the royal jewel and other notable bequests to pass down to Kate Middleton.
However, that is not the case. Royal insiders report the diamond-encrusted tiara would be passed down to Princess Charlotte once she came of age. She would also have the first pick of most of the royal jewelry as the oldest granddaughter of Diana.
Additionally, Charlotte would someday inherit the title of Princess Royal. The title, currently owned by Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter, has only been handed out to seven people throughout history.
Why Princess Charlotte Would Inherit The Tiara Over Kate Middleton
The item, commonly called the Spencer Tiara, went on Display at an exhibition in London in early 2022. Per the Catalogue, Diana’s eldest granddaughter, Princess Charlotte would one day own the coveted piece. It read in part:
“In the mid-1970s, John Spencer, the 8th Earl Spencer, inherited the tiara. It was subsequently worn by all three of his daughters at their wedding: Lady Jane in 1978, Lady Sarah in 1980, and finally Lady Diana the following year in 1981.”
The catalog also revealed that Celia McCorquodale, 10th Earl Spencer Charles’ niece last wore the diadem at her wedding in 2018.
After passing through several females from the Spencer clan for decades, it finally fell on Charlotte, who is also a descendant of the clan as Diana’s granddaughter. Per the catalog, “The Spencer Tiara is now set to be inherited by Princess Charlotte.”
Since the revelation, many have wondered why Princess Charlotte would inherit the coveted diadem, but not Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter, Lilibeth.
While Charlotte is indeed not the late Princess’ only granddaughter, being the eldest makes her entitled to the first pick of the jewels.
Hence, the priceless piece, which was reportedly Princess Diana’s favorite tiara, would be passed down to Charlotte. Insiders report that the little princess is most excited about the prospect of someday owning the invaluable jewel.
Why Princess Charlotte Might Inherit The Title Of Princess Royal
Princess Royal is a rare title the reigning monarch bestows on his or her eldest daughter. It first came into existence in 1642, after Charles I bestowed it on his daughter Princess Mary.
Since then, it has passed down from one princess to the next. The title is usually held for life, even though the bearer outlives their parents. Hence it can only pass on to the next princess in line upon the death of the reigning princess royal.
In 1987, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the title on her only daughter, Princess Anne. Before Anne, the title last belonged to Princess Mary, the only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary.
She died in 1965. At the time, next in line, Queen Elizabeth II was already the sovereign following her dad, King George VI’s demise. Hence, the title never fell on her.
As the daughter of Prince William, and Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte may someday own the title. This would happen if her dad bestows it on her upon becoming king, and after Anne’s reign as Princess Royal.
Who Else Has A Royal Bequest To Look Forward To?
Aside from Princess Charlotte, other of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s kids also have impressive inheritances to look forward to.
Prince George, the first son of the new Prince and Princess of Wales, would someday inherit the throne, after his dad who is to succeed King Charles.
Prince Louis, the fourth in the line of succession also stands to inherit a title, perhaps a Dukedom if bestowed upon him.
Meanwhile, Princess Kate and Prince Williams focus on settling into their new roles. Kate, who is only the second person ever to hold the Princess of Wales title has since proven herself a worthy senior royal.
Even without inheriting more bequests, the mother of three boasts of some fascinating titles and heirlooms of her own. From prized jewels belonging to the Middleton clan to impressive pieces like her engagement ring once belonging to Princess Diana, the 40-year-old has quite the collection.
She also has more projects on the way in line with her responsibilities as a senior royal. All these engagements, invaluable inheritances, and her previous working history give Kate Middleton a net worth of $10 million.