Overview
- Under the 1917 Letters Patent, James is legally entitled to use the title of prince and the style His Royal Highness upon reaching adulthood.
- Prince Edward and Sophie raised their children without HRH styling to encourage a normal life, and Sophie said in 2023 it was highly unlikely they would adopt the titles at 18.
- Buckingham Palace has not issued a formal announcement on James’s choice, with current coverage relying on unnamed friends and past interviews.
- James is in his final A‑Level year at Radley College and is not expected to take on full‑time royal duties while focusing on his education.
- After Edward became Duke of Edinburgh in 2023, James took the courtesy title Earl of Wessex; the dukedom is for Edward’s lifetime only, and James is currently 16th in the line of succession.