King Charles III Conferred Duke of Edinburgh Title To Prince Edward on His 59th Birthday

Breaking News! His Majesty King Charles III finally conferred the Duke of Edinburgh title to his youngest brother, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, on Edward's 59th birthday. Happy birthday and congratulations to Prince Edward!

The news was published on the royal family's official website, it stated: 

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.  

The title will be held by Prince Edward for His Royal Highness’s lifetime. 

HRH Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh 

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 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.

Prince Philip and Prince Edward 

Prince Edward, the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, was created Earl of Wessex in 1999, on the occasion of his marriage to Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones.

In 2019, Queen Elizabeth II granted her youngest child the additional title of Earl of Forfar, on the occasion of His Royal Highness’s 55th birthday. It's the title Prince Edward is using when he is in Scotland. 

Prince Edward and his family on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colours

The Dukedom of Edinburgh

The Dukedom has previously been created four times for Members of the British Royal Family:

1726 - Prince Frederick, eldest son of King George II

1764 – Prince William, brother of King George III, as part of the joint title , The Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh

1866 – Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria. Prince Alfred also inherited the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha title when his paternal uncle, Ernest II, died without a son. 

1947 – Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II

The Royal Family's website also added that the Duke of Edinburgh title will be held for the lifetime of Prince Edward, which means his only son, James, is now the Earl of Wessex.

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh 

Prince Edward, however, will retain the Earl of Forfar title and will be inherited by James upon the death of his father. Prince Edward will no longer use it though when he is in Scotland and will be used the Duke of Edinburgh title instead. 

Buckingham Palace announced the news in a busy week for royal titles, in which Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, confirmed that their children will begin using the titles of “prince” and “princess”.

Prince Edward at three months old was held by the Queen during Trooping the Colours in June 1964 while Prince Philip looked on

The new Duke of Edinburgh was born on March 10, 1964, at the Queen's suite in Buckingham Palace. He was the second child, after Prince Andrew in 1960, to be born to a reigning British Sovereign after Queen Victoria gave birth to her youngest child, Princess Beatrice (great-grandmother of King Juan Carlos I of Spain) in 1857.

Prince Edward took over the role from his father, Prince Philip, the chairmanship of the Duke of Edinburgh award which was founded by Prince Philip in 1956.

Prince Edward became a full time working royal in 2002, three years after his wedding. Since then he and Sophie dedicated their time as a full-time working members of the Royal Family, championing young people and promoting the benefits of non-formal education across the world. 

As well as undertaking official duties in support of His Majesty – often alongside his wife The Duchess of Edinburgh – The Duke carries out a busy schedule of engagements across the UK and overseas for his charities and patronages.

The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their children Lady Louise and James, the Earl of Wessex 

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have two children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, born in November 2003, and James, the Earl of Wessex, born in December 2007.

Despite being grandchildren of the British monarch in the male line, Prince Edward and Sophie chose not to grant their children the titles Prince and Princess to spare them from the trappings of royalty. 

Thus, Louise and James assumed the courtesy titles of children born to a British nobleman instead of children born to a royal prince. 

Related story: Why King Charles Has Yet to Confirm Duke of Edinburgh title to Prince Edward?