4 responses to “Looking a royal gift horse in the mouth”

  1. Karleene Bowman | December 14, 2010 at 11:45 pm | Reply

    Since Prince William will eventually be the King, why would they make him a Duke? I know the Prince of Wales slot is taken, but Dukes should be for second or third sons. They made Prince Edward an Earl, but I thought he would be a Duke. What do I know?

  2. Marilyn | December 15, 2010 at 12:42 am | Reply

    Hi Karleene! 🙂

    The Queen would likely make Prince William a duke upon his marriage. It has been a long tradition to do so.

    You’re right, the Prince of Wales title is taken but it doesn’t mean that he can’t be created a duke. One example of this was the grandson of Queen Victoria, Prince George of Wales (future King George V). He was the son of Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. Prince George was created Duke of York instead – a traditional title for the second son of a sovereign. After Queen Victoria died and Albert Edward became King Edward VII, George was made Prince of Wales.

    In all likelihood Prince William will become Prince of Wales but he’ll more than likely be created a duke first, with some betting on the dukedom of Cambridge for him.

    Prince Edward was made Earl of Wessex upon his 1999 marriage. Reportedly, after watching the movie Shakespeare in Love, where there is a character named the Earl of Wessex, he specifically requested the title. Edward is heir to the dukedom of Edinburgh and upon Prince Philip’s death he will be created as such.

  3. MOLLY | January 5, 2011 at 6:36 pm | Reply

    Camilla will probably be accorded the title Princess of Wales (to which of course she is legally entitled) thus allowing William to become Duke of Cornwall, which is his father’s secondary title. I don’t think the title Duchess of Cornwall for Camilla was thought through properly.

  4. Marilyn | January 5, 2011 at 7:21 pm | Reply

    That’s an interesting thought Molly and it makes some sense. Unfortunately it’s unlikely to happen!

    The Dukedom of Cornwall is the traditional title of the heir to the throne, only a son of the sovereign can be Duke of Cornwall, not a grandson. The Duchy of Cornwall is also where the Prince of Wales derives his income.

    I think, when they gave the title Duchess of Cornwall to Camilla, they were pandering to the public by doing so. Yes, the title is strongly associated with Diana, but she is not the only woman who has been Princess of Wales, nor will she be the last.

    I don’t think people will find it acceptable for Camilla to be made Princess of Wales, even if the title is hers legally. After all of this time it’s probably better to keep things as they are and, when the time comes, pass the title on to the next generation, which won’t have the same amount of emotional baggage attached to it.

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