Hi all, I'm new to the Royal Forums. I'm very fascinated by royalty and nobility, but I don't know all of their "rules". I was wondering if Princess Madeline could choose to keep her given name and title as opposed to take up her husband's names. Same question goes for other royal/noble brides, can they keep their given names and titles, instead of taking their husband's names and titles (if they have any). Also, what if they have a higher (?) title than their husband?
I know that for the rest of us "normal" people we can keep our maiden names, my mum kept hers when she married my dad. Or some people hyphen it.
Welcome abroad, Mllegdec!
Princess Madeleine
will keep her title. Chris may or may not become a Duke jure uxoris (by right of the wife), depending on whether it's intended for him to become a Swedish citizen and working member of the Royal Family, or not. When Madeleine's first engagement to Jonas was announced, it was also clarified that Jonas would be Duke of Halsingland and Gastrikland (male forms of Madeleine's titles). As for the surname, most countries offer the woman the choice to keep her maiden name, or take her husband's family name. Sweden is no exception.
Traditionally, a woman uses the highest of her available titles. For instance, when Princess Alexandra of Kent married Angus Ogilvy, she kept her title Princess and her style of Royal Highness, becoming
Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Mrs Angus Ogilvy (after her husband was knighted she became Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy). Similarly, when Duchess Sophie in Bavaria married Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, she retain the use of her style of Royal Highness (members of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein are Serene Highnesses), becoming
Her Royal Highness The Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein.
Of course, rules differ from country to country. In Japan, if an Imperial Princess marries a commoner, she automatically relinquishes all her styles, titles and position in the Imperial Family, and becomes an untitled commoner herself. For instance, when Her Imperial Highness Princess Sayako married Yoshiki Kuroda, she became just a plain
Mrs. Yoshiki Kuroda.
Have a look at these threads which should give you a better idea how styles, titles and precedence work:
Questions about Swedish Titles
Question about Norwegian titles
Precedence - Who Outranks Who?
Questions About British Styles and Titles
Questions About non-British Styles and Titles
Royal Dukes, Royal Duchies and Royal Ducal Titles
Royal, Princely and Comital Titles
Nobility, Aristocracy and Titles
British Order of Precedence
Styles and Titles