PRINCESS ELIZABETH

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 119, 15 February 1944, Page 5

PRINCESS ELIZABETH

Heir Presumptive To Throne NO CHANGE OF TITLE ON COMING-OF-AGE It fias been officially announced that the King does not contemplate making any change in the style of the title of Princess Elizabeth at her approaching eom-ing-of-age. This must be considered an official intimation that Princess Elizabeth will not be styled Princess of Wales. Admirable as this title would appear to be for the heir presumptive to the throne, there are definite reasons why it cannot be conferred.

The full titles customarily borne by the heir to tbe Throne are Prince of Wales, Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. The heir apparent automatically becomes entitled to all these titles except two^—Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester. The Duke of Windsor was not made Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester for some time after he succeeded to the other titles.

The title Prinee of Wales was instituted in 1301 by Edward 1, who bestowed it on his eldest son. This title hat? never been conferred on a woman and never on anyone but the heir apparent. Princess Elizabeth is not only a woman, but she is heir presumptive and not heir apparent. An heir presumptive might in certain eventualities be displaced from the succession to thf Throne. Heirs apparent are eldest sows who cannot be affected by the birth of a nearer heir. If the present Queen bore a son he would become the heir apparent and would be entitled to the titles of that position. As the law never excludes the possibility of the birth of a child to any man or woman, no matter how improbable, a woman can never become an heir apparent. Though the King has the power to create a special title of Princess of Wales for his heiress it would be embarrassing to grant a title to his daughter which would belong to his son if one were born. Normally the wife of the Prince of Wales is called Princess of Wales, and in view of the very special aspect of the succession of Princess Elizabeth the Pwllheli Town Council went so far as to move to ask the Prime Minister of Britain to recommend to the King the creation of the title Princess of Wales. Princess Elizabeth is in a unique position. If she succeeds to the Throne she will provide the first example of a daughter succeeding directly to the Throne of England. The case of Mary II was not quite the same, as her brother, aged six months, went abroad with her father, James 11, when he abdicated. Furthermore. Princess Elizabeth had her succession to the Throne confirmed some 14 years ago. Conflict existed whether the law cave the elder sistpr precedence over the younger or whether they became coheirs. It was eventually decided that Princess Elizabeth took precedence over Princess Margaret. The line of succession as it stands today is therefore Princess Elizabeth. Princess Margaret Rose, and the Duke of Gloucester. The recent intimation that the King does not contemplate any change in the style of Princess Elizabeth would suggest that in view of the situation described she will definitely not become Princess of Wales- in her own right, so to speak. The traditional title reserved for the eldest daughter of the sovereign is Princess Royal. Again Princess Elizabeth is debarred from that title. It is held for life by Princess Mary. There can never bo two Princess Royals. It would seem therefore that Hie peculiar position of the Heiress to the Throne may be recognized by the bestowal of some signal honour not yet decided on. When she comes of age she will become entitled to an official home, a retinue of her own consisting of court officials, and an income in keeping with her position.— E.A.A.