The Duke and Duchess of Westminster announced they are expecting their first child this summer after marrying last year, but it is possible the future child could miss out on a £10 billion title. Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke of Westminster, inherited the Dukedom and the Grosvenor estate, which has an estimated net worth of £10.1billion, when his father, Gerald Grosvenor, died in 2016.
Most peerages can only be inherited by a male relative because of primogeniture, a rule which unseats any female heir if a younger brother is born. Therefore, if Hugh Grosvenor and Olivia Henson’s first child is a daughter, she will not be entitled to inherit the Westminster title.
The full statement released by the couple announcing the happy news read: “The Duke and Duchess of Westminster are very pleased to share that the Duchess is expecting a baby in the summer. The couple are delighted with the news and are very much looking forward to starting a family together.”
This was also the case with Hugh himself, who has two elder sisters, Lady Tamara and Lady Edwina Grosvenor who did not inherit the Dukedom.
Conservative MP Harriet Baldwin’s proposed the Hereditary Titles (Female Succession) Bill, and tried to change this law but the bill made no further progress after its second reading in the House of Commons, due to the dissolution of Parliament in May 2024 before the UK General Election.
However, for the Royal Family, the law has altered because of The Succession of the Crown Act (2013). This means the Prince and Princess of Wales’ only daughter, Princess Charlotte, made history as she became the first female royal to benefit from the change of succession law.
The law was updated ahead of Prince George’s birth to allow a possible firstborn daughter to take precedence over any younger brothers. It also meant that when Prince Louis was born, Princess Charlotte retained her place in line to the throne after Prince George.
It is not good news for all royals however, as The Succession of the Crown Act (2013) applies only to those born after 28 October 2011, so this means that Lady Louise Windsor, the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, is still behind her younger brother, James, Earl of Wessex.
While it is unlikely Princess Charlotte will ever become Queen, there is a very important title that she could potentially inherit instead.
As King Charles has no daughters, it is likely the Princess Royal title will be held in suspension once Princess Anne passes away, but will be regranted to Princess Charlotte once her father becomes King.