Prince Edward inherited his father's Duke of Edinburgh title, but it went to King Charles first. Here's why.
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- Prince Edward, Prince Philip's son and King Charles' younger brother, is now the Duke of Edinburgh.
- Charles inherited the title first, then it reverted to the crown when he ascended to the throne.
- As monarch, Charles then created a new Dukedom of Edinburgh and bestowed it upon Edward.
Prince Edward has officially inherited his father Prince Philip's title of the Duke of Edinburgh, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
King Charles bestowed the title upon Edward to mark his 59th birthday on March 10, making him and his wife, Sophie Rhys-Jones, the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. The line of succession on the royal family's official website has been updated to reflect his new title.
"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," the palace statement read.
In accordance with royal protocol, Charles inherited the title first before it reverted back to the crown
Philip became Duke of Edinburgh in 1947, when he relinquished his status as a European royal to marry Queen Elizabeth. It was the fourth time in British royal history that the Dukedom had been created for a royal family member, according to Buckingham Palace's statement.
Philip had shared his interest in bequeathing the title to his youngest son, yet his oldest son and heir to the throne, Charles, inherited the title after his death in April 2021 — although it remained "dormant" since Charles didn't formally use it, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams previously told Insider's Armani Syed.
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When Charles ascended to the throne after Queen Elizabeth's death in September 2022, the title merged with the crown. As monarch, Charles was then able to create a new Dukedom of Edinburgh for his brother, marking its fifth re-creation in royal history.
Edward and his wife were previously known as the Earl and Countess of Wessex, titles they received when they wed in 1999. Edward told The Telegraph in a 2021 interview that Philip first discussed bequeathing him the Dukedom of Edinburgh two days after they announced their engagement that same year.
"My father was very keen that the title should continue, but he didn't quite move quickly enough with Andrew, so it was us who he eventually had the conversation with," Edward said. "It was a lovely idea; a lovely thought."