Zara and Mike Tindall, along with their three children, rang in the new year as a family at the Cheltenham New Year’s Day races in Gloucestershire last week. They were joined by Princess Anne and her son Peter Phillips, who brought the two daughters he shares with ex-wife Autumn Kelly, as well as his fiancée, Harriet Sperling.
Despite so many royals appearing all at once, fans were mesmerised by Zara and Mike’s three kids: 11-year-old Mia, seven-year-old Lena, and four-year-old Lucas. And the youngest of the Tindall kids really captured attention, putting on a cheeky show to rival Prince Louis, who is known for his many funny moments. Unlike Louis, however, the Tindall children don’t have titles… but why is that?
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Per royal protocol, the children of male descendants of the monarch automatically receive a royal title, such as (former!) Prince Andrew’s children, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. To get around this, the late Queen Elizabeth II extended a courtesy title to Anne’s children, but she chose to decline this in the hope of providing a more ‘normal’ childhood. Because of that, neither Peter nor Zara’s children have Prince or Princess titles. But, they are not the only royal children who don’t have those titles.
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Prince Edward’s children (those being: Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex) also don’t have titles, although they were offered them upon turning 18. Previously speaking about the decision not to immediately bestow her children with a fancy title, Edward’s wife, Sophie Wessex, told The Sunday Times: “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living.”
She went on, “Hence, we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely [they’ll choose to].”
Titles aside, all of these royal kids are still in the line of succession, including Zara and Mike’s, although it’s highly unlikely they’ll ever actually become the monarch. Mia is currently 23rd in line for the throne, Lena is in 24th place, and you guessed it, Lucas is number 25.
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Jade Biggs (she/her) is one of Cosmopolitan UK’s freelance writers, working across all sections including entertainment, beauty, body, and sex and relationships. She previously held the position of Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and the latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. Jade has a degree in journalism and has been a journalist and content editor for ten years, interviewing leading researchers, high-profile influencers, and industry experts in that time. She is a cat mom to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches, and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.