King Charles Gives Royal Title That Previously Belonged to Prince Philip to Brother Prince Edward
Prince Edward has a new royal title: the Duke of Edinburgh.
King Charles III announced that he conferred the title created for his father, Prince Philip, onto his younger brother on Friday — the morning of Edward's 59th birthday.
Prince Edward's son — James, Viscount Severn — has now become the Earl of Wessex as a result. This title was given to Edward when he married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999.
The royal family's official website has been updated to reflect Prince Edward and James' new titles.
Prince Edward's wife, Sophie, is now the Duchess of Edinburgh — a title last held by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
"His Majesty The King has been pleased to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, on the occasion of His Royal Highness's 59th birthday," Buckingham Palace said in a short statement Friday. "The title will be held by Prince Edward for His Royal Highness's lifetime."
Stuart C. Wilson - Pool/Getty Prince Edward and his wife Sophie
"The Dukedom was last created for Prince Philip in 1947, upon his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, who held the title of Duchess of Edinburgh before acceding to the throne in 1952," the release added. "The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are proud to continue Prince Philip's legacy of promoting opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to reach their full potential."
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It had been Prince Philip's wish that his youngest son would receive the title after his death.
Towards the end of his life, Prince Edward – alongside Sophie — continued representing Prince Philip at award ceremonies for the Duke of Edinburgh volunteering program for young people, which Queen Elizabeth's husband of 73 years created.
In 1999, a statement from Buckingham Palace which announced the couple would be titled the Earl and Countess of Wessex also noted, "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales have also agreed that the Prince Edward should be given the Dukedom of Edinburgh in due course, when the present title now held by the Prince Philip eventually reverts to the Crown."
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Prince Philip and Prince Edward
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Despite this, when Prince Philip died in 2021, his title went to Charles, 74, as his eldest son. There had been reports that Charles would hold onto the title, with some commentators saying it would not go to Edward and Sophie as he mulled what to do with it.
After waiting several months since becoming monarch, King Charles has chosen to hand it on to his brother at a significant moment: his brother's birthday. Prince Edward will hold the title for his lifetime, after which it will return to the crown — raising the possibility that it could then be passed to one of Prince William's younger children: Princess Charlotte, 7, or Prince Louis, 4.
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David Parry - WPA Pool/Getty Prince Edward and Sophie
The announcement also follows Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's children's titles being updated on the royal family's website on Thursday to read "Prince Archie of Sussex" and "Princess Lilibet of Sussex." They were previously styled as "Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor" and "Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor."
The Duke of Edinburgh title was created in 1726 and first held by King George II's eldest son, Prince Frederick. It was then held in 1764 by Prince William, King George III's brother.
Queen Victoria re-introduced the title in 1866 for her second son, Prince Alfred. The title then became dormant when he died in 1899 (after being pre-deceased by his son a year earlier).
King George VI later conferred the dukedom on Prince Philip and the-then Princess Elizabeth on their wedding day in 1947.