King Charles III Names Prince Edward the New Duke of Edinburgh

A brand new title. King Charles III has formally introduced that his youngest brother, Prince Edward, will inherit their late father Prince Philip’s Duke of Edinburgh honor.

“His Majesty The King has been happy to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, on the event of His Royal Highness’s 59th birthday,” an announcement learn on Friday, March 10. “The title might be held by Prince Edward for His Royal Highness’s lifetime.”

The duchy was final held by Philip, who died in April 2021 on the age of 99, who obtained the title in 1947 after he married Queen Elizabeth II.

“The brand new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are proud to proceed Prince Philip’s legacy of selling alternatives for younger folks of all backgrounds to succeed in their full potential,” the royal household’s assertion continued, noting that Edward’s spouse, Countess Sophie, might be referred to as the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Edward and the previous publicist, 58, had been beforehand named the Earl and Countess of Wessex by the late queen — who died in September 2022 on the age of 96 — upon their 1999 marriage, as a substitute of a dukedom like his brothers and nephews. Edward was later conferred because the Earl of Forfar in 2019 to rejoice his fifty fifth birthday.

Elizabeth and Philip shared 4 youngsters collectively: Charles, 74, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Edward. Following the previous Duke of Edinburgh’s dying, it was broadly predicted that Edward would obtain the title since he didn’t already maintain a dukedom.

“There’s speak, really, that when Prince Charles turns into king, the title Duke of Edinburgh will go to Prince Edward, the queen’s fourth baby,” writer Andrew Morton alleged to Us Weekly in April 2021. “He has been the top of [the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award], which is that this group the place teenage youngsters go tenting and mountain climbing. … Very character constructing.”

Edward’s new title has already been up to date on the household’s official web site, which additionally reveals that his 14-year-old son, Viscount James, has grow to be the brand new Earl of Wessex. Edward and Sophie additionally share 18-year-old daughter Woman Louise, who didn’t inherit a brand new title as a result of order of succession. Louise and James, regardless of being the kids of a prince, have by no means opted to make use of official HRH titles.

“We attempt to carry them up with the understanding that they’re very more likely to must work for a dwelling,” Sophie beforehand advised the U.Ok.’s The Sunday Occasions in June 2020. “Therefore we made the choice to not use HRH titles. They’ve them and may determine to make use of them from 18, however it’s extremely unlikely.”

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Charles’ determination to bestow the duchy of Edinburgh on Edward comes shortly after Us confirmed that he had requested that son Prince Harry and his spouse, Meghan Markle, wanted to vacate their Frogmore Cottage residence reportedly in favor of Andrew, 63, occupying the area. (The Duke of York had allegedly been requested to downsize from the Royal Lodge following his sexual assault scandal, which he’s denied.)