Why Princess Anne doesn't regret not giving Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall royal titles

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have opted to use their children Archie and Lilibet's royal titles – Prince and Princess of Sussex – as confirmed in Lili's christening announcement. 

The rules set out by King George V in 1917 mean Archie and Lili, as the children of a son of a sovereign, are automatically a prince and a princess. This became the case when King Charles ascended the throne last September. 

WATCH: Zara Tindall reveals alternative career path

However, the Sussexes' decision has raised questions about other members of the family's titles, namely the Princess Royal's children, Peter Phillips, 45, and Zara Tindall, 41. 

Peter and Zara do not have titles, and this is due to a centuries-old family tradition. Unlike her cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, Zara is not a princess – and likewise, Peter is not a prince.

ROYAL NEWS: King Charles gifts Prince Edward new royal title on his birthday

This is because when a member of the royal family has a child, the rules say that only the father may pass on his title, and the only princes and princesses in the family have fathers in the direct line of succession.

Zara and Peter's father Captain Mark Phillips is not a member of the royal family, and he declined the offer of an earldom, so the children were not given titles from birth. 

Anne declined to give Zara and Peter titles when offered

This is the reason why the late Queen's two oldest sons, King Charles III and Prince Andrew, have been able to grant their children the titles of prince and princesses, while Princess Anne's children – despite being in line to the throne – did not inherit royal rankings. 

Speaking to Vanity Fair in 2020, Princess Anne reflected upon the decision not to grant her children titles: "I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles…So I think that was probably the right thing to do."

MORE: The heartbreaking detail you missed about Lilibet's christening announcement

Living without royal titles may have been a blessing in disguise for Peter and Zara who have been offered more freedom to dictate their careers. For example, Zara pursued a career as a professional British equestrian and Olympian.

Sticking with the sporting industry, Peter, went on to work for Jaguar Racing before becoming the director of a sports management company.

LISTEN: What Prince William and Kate are really like behind the scenes

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity and royal news delivered directly to your inbox.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qbHLpaammZeWx6q6xGeaqKVfp7y6rcutsGhqYGeAcX%2BQamhvbmRlhXDDx7Jks5milnq1tc2dmKWkXaWytbHRZqehoZyhtrG%2FjJ2mZqafqXqprdWeZKunqZa5bsDIraOeq18%3D