List of titles and honours of William, Prince of Wales facts for kids

Prince William in 2021, when he was known as the Duke of Cambridge

William, Prince of Wales is a very important member of the British Royal Family. He is the son of Charles III, the King, and is next in line to become King himself. Over the years, Prince William has received many special titles, awards, and important jobs. This article explains some of these. When you see two dates, the first is when he received the title or award, and the second is if he stopped using it.

Royal Titles and Styles

The special badge of the Prince of Wales

Prince William has been a British prince since he was born. Until 2011, people knew him as "Prince William of Wales." On his wedding day, April 29, 2011, his grandmother, Elizabeth II, gave him three new titles: Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus. These titles were officially given to him a bit later.

When his father became King on September 8, 2022, Prince William automatically received several more important titles. These included Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay. For a short time, he was called "His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge."

Then, on September 9, 2022, King Charles III announced that William would become the Prince of Wales. This is a very special title usually given to the person who will be the next King. Since then, William has been known as "His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales." In Scotland, he is called "His Royal Highness The Duke of Rothesay." He also officially received the title of Earl of Chester in February 2023.

Surname

As a British prince, William usually doesn't use a last name every day. When royal children are born, they often use their father's special "territorial designation" as part of their name. So, before he got his Duke title, Prince William was known as "Prince William of Wales."

The royal family's official family name is Windsor. However, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor is used by all the children and male descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. This name is used if they don't have a royal title like Prince or Princess. Both Prince William and Prince Harry used Wales as their last name when they were in the military. Prince William continued to use Wales even after he became the Duke of Cambridge.

Military Ranks

Prince William in his Royal Air Force uniform in September 2022. He is a Squadron Leader.

Prince William has served in different parts of the military. He has held various ranks in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Here are some of his ranks:

 United Kingdom

University Degrees

Prince William went to university and earned a degree.

Country	Date	University	Degree
Scotland	2005	University of St Andrews	Master of Arts (with Honours)

Special Appointments and Awards

Prince William with his father, King Charles III, walking to St George's Chapel, Windsor. This was in 2008 when William became a Knight of the Garter.

Prince William wearing the special cords (aiguillette) of a personal aide-de-camp in 2013.

Prince William has received many special appointments and decorations. These are like important jobs or awards given to him by the King or Queen, or by other countries.

Appointments These are special roles or positions Prince William has been given.

Country	Date	Appointment	Ribbon	Post-nominal letters
England and Wales	23 April 2008	Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (a very old and important group of knights)		KG
Scotland	25 May 2012	Extra Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (a very old and important Scottish group of knights)		KT
United Kingdom	17 March 2013	Personal Aide-de-Camp to the Sovereign (a special helper to the King)		ADC
United Kingdom	9 June 2016	Member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (a group of important advisors to the King)		PC
Tuvalu	30 October 2017	Recipient of the Tuvalu Order of Merit (an award from the country Tuvalu)
United Kingdom	23 April 2024	Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (a leader of another important group of knights)		GCB

Decorations and Medals These are awards given to Prince William, often for special events or service.

Country	Date	Decoration	Ribbon	Post-nominal letters
United Kingdom	6 February 2002	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (for 50 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign)
United Kingdom	6 February 2012	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (for 60 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign)
United Kingdom	6 February 2022	Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (for 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign)
United Kingdom	6 May 2023	King Charles III Coronation Medal (for the coronation of King Charles III)

Foreign Honours

Prince William has also received an award from another country.

Country	Date	Decoration	Ribbon	Post-nominal letters
United States	6 July 2008	Joint Service Achievement Medal (an award from the US military)

Wearing Awards and Medals

When Prince William wears his military uniform, he often displays ribbons that show his awards.

Ribbons of William, Prince of Wales

He also wears special "stars" on his chest from the Order of the Garter, Thistle, and Bath. Usually, he wears the Garter star. But when he is in Scotland, he wears the Thistle star instead.

Honorary Military Appointments

Prince William, when he was Duke of Cambridge, in his uniform as Colonel of the Irish Guards in 2013.

These are special military roles that Prince William holds. They are "honorary" because he doesn't do the day-to-day work of these roles, but he is a patron or a ceremonial leader.

Canada

• 10 November 2009: Honorary Canadian Ranger (a special role with a Canadian military group)

United Kingdom

• Since 8 August 2006: Commodore-in-Chief, Royal Navy Submarine Service (a leader for the Navy's submarines)
• Since 8 August 2006: Commodore-in-Chief, Scotland (a leader for the Navy in Scotland)
• 3 October 2008 – 11 August 2023: Honorary Air Commandant, RAF Coningsby (a ceremonial leader for an Air Force base)
• Since 11 August 2023: Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Valley (another ceremonial leader for an Air Force base)
• 10 February 2011 – 21 December 2022: Colonel, Irish Guards (a ceremonial leader for an Army regiment)
• Since 21 December 2022: Colonel, Welsh Guards (a ceremonial leader for another Army regiment)
• Since 11 August 2023: Colonel-in-Chief, Mercian Regiment (a ceremonial leader for an Army regiment)
• Since 11 August 2023: Colonel-in-Chief, Army Air Corps (a ceremonial leader for the Army's air branch)

Other Special Roles and Honours

Prince William also holds positions in different non-military organizations.

Country	Date	Organisation	Position
United Kingdom	6 July 2009 – present	Honourable Society of the Middle Temple	Royal Bencher (a special member of a legal society)
United Kingdom	23 June 2010 – present	Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge	Fellow (FRS) (a member of a very old and important science group)
Scotland	1 March 2017 – present	Royal Society of Edinburgh	Royal Honorary Fellow (HonFRSE) (a special member of Scotland's national academy of science and letters)
United Kingdom	17 January 2018 – present	Royal Society of Medicine	Honorary Fellow (FRSM) (a special member of a medical society)
United Kingdom	2018 – present	St John's College, Cambridge	Honorary Fellow (a special member of a college at Cambridge University)
Scotland	25 January 2020 – 28 February 2022	General Assembly of the Church of Scotland	Lord High Commissioner (the King's representative to the Church of Scotland's main meeting)

Things Named After Prince William

The Royal William rose, a type of flower named after him.

Sometimes, things are named after important people to honor them. This is called an "eponym." Here are some things named after Prince William:

Awards

•  Canada: Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Award, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario (a special award at a Canadian university)
•  Canada: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Parks Canada Youth Ambassadors Program (a program for young people in Canada's national parks)

Buildings

•  Canada: Duke of Cambridge Public School, Bowmanville, Ontario (a school in Canada)

Flowers

• Royal William rose (a type of rose flower)

Scholarships

•  Canada: HRH Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Legacy Scholarship (a scholarship to help students pay for their education)

See also

• List of titles and honours of Catherine, Princess of Wales
• List of titles and honours of Charles III
• List of titles and honours of Queen Camilla
• List of titles and honours of Elizabeth II
• List of titles and honours of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
• List of titles and honours of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
• List of titles and honours of Anne, Princess Royal
• List of titles and honours of George VI
• List of titles and honours of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
• List of titles and honours of George V
• List of titles and honours of Mary of Teck
• List of titles and honours of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
• List of honours of the British royal family by country