Princess Anne and Family General Information and Questions

[Mermaid1962]

Right. If Edward and Sophie's children were referred to as Prince/Princess, then we'd have a real right to see pictures and know more about them. People--not everyone, of course--are practically demanding pictures of Lady Louise; but until she's able to make the decision for herself to appear in public, she's under her parents' protection.

 

[branchg]

Her parents were very clear they, like Princess Anne, wanted their children to grow up without the burden of titles and royal rank. However, until new letters patent are issued changing the 1917 criteria, they have the right to assume their royal rank and styles once they become adults.

It is likely, however, that new letters patent will eventually be issued to "downsize" the royal family, possibly when Charles becomes King, to restrict the style of HRH Prince/Princess of the UK to the children of The Sovereign and the eldest child of the heir to the throne.

 

[DuedePhiladelphia]

Earls are considerd commoners I dont see how this title or any tiltle below it would have a cause a dilemma in their lives. I think at the time when Anne was married she would have the first grandchild of QE that is why she didnt want the title maybe if Charles married sooner- she wouldnt have minded- much

 

[sandsla]

I think she is saying she wants to try to protect her children as much as possible now by maintaining a private citizen status and unburdening them with all the extra pressure the title might bring them. People who grew up without having that choice usually understand how hard it was for themselves.

 

[branchg]

Earls are considerd commoners I dont see how this title or any tiltle below it would have a cause a dilemma in their lives. I think at the time when Anne was married she would have the first grandchild of QE that is why she didnt want the title maybe if Charles married sooner- she wouldnt have minded- much

Earls are not commoners, but Peers. In the UK, anyone who is not The Sovereign or a Peer is considered a commoner. The Queen offered Mark Phillips an Earldom so that their children would not be commoners as the grandchildren of The Sovereign. Mark and Anne both declined to accept it.

Later, she reportedly offered to elevate Peter and Zara to HRH Prince/Princess of the UK in their own right, but Anne declined this as well, preferring her children to be raised in a more down-to-earth manner than she was. Being a Royal Highness means being prepared to carry out public duties on behalf of the Crown and Anne did not want her children to have this burden.

 

[MichaelG]

I understand that both Peter and Zara Phillips are much admired members of their family, and not having a title does not diminish this admiration in any way. Increases it, if anything. When The Princess of Wales died, William apparently sought, and received, a great deal of support and comfort from Peter Phillips, whom he looks upon as a wise elder brother. Both the Phillips children seem to have inherited their mother's "no nonsense" and down to earth approach to life-attributes, no doubt greatly appreciated in the rarified court atmosphere. In some sense , they have the best of all possible worlds.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

Peter and Mrs. Peter don't even live in England. They reside in Hong Kong on a full-time basis. I think he works for the United Bank of Switzerland.

 

[Alison20]

Sometimes titles can be awarded by the Queen when the first child is born (one coming in December), if they haven't on the marriage. It would not be a royal title, but could be an Earldom or Viscountcy. On the other hand, it may well be that Peter is quite happy the way he is!

 

[Iluvbertie]

Sometimes titles can be awarded by the Queen when the first child is born (one coming in December), if they haven't on the marriage. It would not be a royal title, but could be an Earldom or Viscountcy. On the other hand, it may well be that Peter is quite happy the way he is!

Having been raised without a title, having all the privileges of being the first grandchild of the Queen, having cousins who will have to do all the royal stuff and not having to do any of it, being able to choose what to do in life rather than have it chosen for him I would say Peter is very happy.

I don't see him wanting or getting a title at any stage simply due to his birth.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I agree ILuvBertie, Peter and Zara are unlikely to ever get titles or want them. Same applies for their children.

 

[kelly1972]

Agree that Peter and Autumn's baby won't recieve a royal titile either. Peter has said that he was indebted to his parents because they didn't accept a title for him when he was born. It allowed him to live his life without burdoning him and has given him privacy. I would think he would want the same thing with child as well.

 

[agogo]

What do they need them for? I don't think that they want them anyhow.

 

[Lumutqueen]

What do they need them for? I don't think that they want them anyhow.

They don't have them, so the obviously don't want them.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Very FUNNY...

Please note - Zara is not a Princess.

She is simply Miss Zara Philips with no titles at all. In Britain only sons of the monarch pass on titles to their children but daughters don't so Anne's children have no titles.

Margaret's children only have titles because their father was given a title when Margaret was pregnant with Viscount Linley.

Even the Queen's own eldest two children would have been born as Earl of Merioneth and Lady Anne Mountbatten without the intervention of George VI as the Queen, while simply Princess Elizabeth, couldn't pass on any titles to them.

Things may be different in Sweden but in Britain - males only have the right to pass on a title.

 

[MRSJ]

Why then were Queen Victoria's children known as Princess and Princes? Was that a special decree she made?

 

[Lumutqueen]

I think they were known as Prince and Princess' because they were children of the Monarch. Just like Princess Anne is a Princess. But only the males could pass on the title to their children. When her daughters married into other royal families, the acquired new titles which they could pass on. I believe.

 

[Iluvbertie]

In 1917 George V changed the Letters Patent to limit who could be an HRH. Thus people who would have had that designation under Victoria no longer qualified so while Victoria's grandchildren through her daughters, and Edward VII's as well, were HRH (often though through their fathers as much as their mothers) were Princes and Princesses that was not necessarily the case for all the grandchildren from George V onwards e.g. the Harewoods, the Snowdens and the Philipes.

Since 1917 the children of the daughters of the monarch - the children of Princess Mary, Princess Margaret and Princess Anne were not HRH Prince/Princess. The children of Mary and Margaret had titles not because their mothers were royal but because their fathers had titles but Mark Philips didn't so Peter and Zara aren't titled and aren't Prince/Princess but plain Mr and Miss.

Even the Queen, when expecting Charles, couldn't pass on the HRH directly but needed special LPs from her father to ensure that her children would be HRH at birth otherwise Charles would have been born as Lord Charles Mountbatten, Earl of Merioneth (using Philip's subsidiary title as courtesy - like James is called Viscount Severn today). However George VI realised the problem in time and issued an amendment to his father's 1917 LPs to have Charles born as HRH Prince Charles.

 

[MRSJ]

Thank you

 

[jeph213]

i'm wondering(this may have already been answered but i'm too lazy to go through each postings) do peter and zara get any financial assistance from the queen? they've both grown, what do they do for a living anyway? also, does zara wear a crown, say during formal occasions? or has she ever been photographed wearing one?

 

[Iluvbertie]

i'm wondering(this may have already been answered but i'm too lazy to go through each postings) do peter and zara get any financial assistance from the queen? they've both grown, what do they do for a living anyway? also, does zara wear a crown, say during formal occasions? or has she ever been photographed wearing one?

What private financial aid the Queen might give her children and grandchildren from her private income is also regarded as private - just as it would be in any family.

Neither Zara or Peter get anything officially from the government. Both would have received trust funds from the Queen Mum and the Queen also has set one up for them but, when they can access them, I don't know.

Peter works for a bank and Zara is a professional sportswoman who earns money through sponsorship.

At state occasions, if she is present Zara might wear a tiara (not a crown as only the Queen wears one of them and then fairly rarely - she too wears tiaras at state occasions except the State Opening of Parliament when she does wear her crown).

 

[jeph213]

thanx iluvbertie. yeah got that. also i'm still wondering... since they are children of the Princess Royale do commoners bow to them? or since they are just like normal citizens like you and me, is it required for them to bow to their titled cousins Wil and Harry.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I don't think Zara and Peter bow to their cousins, seeing as there has never been a situation when that's occured.
Zara curtseyed to her grandmother when she was offered her MBE, so when William becomes King and the needs arises for a curtsey then it may happen.
As for commoners bowing, I don't think Zara and Peter would allow someone to do that, and they are so rarely known to the public they are hardly going to be noticed.

 

[Mirabel]

Is it just me?
I find it hard to believe that anyone wouldn't want a title!
If nothing else, it's bound to get you a better table in restaurants.

 

[Lumutqueen]

It also gets you the attention of the worlds press. People know that Zara and Peter are grandchildren of the monarchs, they make the newspapers, they make the magazines. They still lead a priveliged life without the hassle that the titles would bring.

 

[Mirabel]

It also gets you the attention of the worlds press. People know that Zara and Peter are grandchildren of the monarchs, they make the newspapers, they make the magazines. They still lead a priveliged life without the hassle that the titles would bring.

That might be the case in Britain, but other places, such as here in the States, most people wouldn't know them and they probably wouldn't be treated as V.I.P.s.
I think many Americans would regard a rather lowly title as more desirable than none, grandchildren of a reigning queen or not. JMO.

 

[Lumutqueen]

But America doesn't have a system of aristocratic titles and the like, so it wouldn't really matter over there.
Peter Phillips before Autumn became pregnant lived in Hong Kong, which like the USA will not know who he is.

 

[Iluvbertie]

But America doesn't have a system of aristocratic titles and the like, so it wouldn't really matter over there.
Peter Phillips before Autumn became pregnant lived in Hong Kong, which like the USA will not know who he is.

There is a greater chance that the people in Hong Kong will know who Peter is as it is only 13 years since his grandmother ceased to be the Head of State of Hong Kong and many British businesses etc are still based there.

 

[Lumutqueen]

However, QE2 is still the head of state in this country, and I could pretty much guarentee that hardly anyone will know who Zara and Peter are.

 

[Mirabel]

But America doesn't have a system of aristocratic titles and the like, so it wouldn't really matter over there.

I think it would matter; look at the way the social elite here gushes over the queen and Prince Charles when they visit!

But plain Peter Phillips..not so much!


Remember the scandal a few years back when British aristocrats were selling their subsidiary titles to wealthy social-climbers? Some of the buyers were American.
So why buy a useless title? The snob effect, imo.

 

[Lumutqueen]

But The Queen and Prince Charles visiting is very different to Lord Peter Phillips visiting, he's 11th in line for the throne.

Peter wouldn't be pleased with people "gushing" over him, seeing as it's not his personality. You put it perfectly, Peter and Zara aren't snobs and are happy to lead a normal life.