Rumour that the King won't make Edward Duke of Edinburgh

[PrincessJanet]

Allegedly as part of the King's desire for a slimmed down monarchy.

I would have thought that the Royal Family could really do with the Wessexes as working royals. If they slim down so far in a few years they'll soon beonly the Cambridges available.

If it's true, it wouldn't surprise me. Charles has always struck me as petulant.

🤣

If true, I'll be very surprised, unless it's with the Wessexes blessing.

He should be nurturing Edwards kids like crazy as at this rate they are likely to be the only two of their generation who will be available for minor ribbon cutting and the less salubrious foreign tours.

Or he could take the view that it does not matter a stuff if the ribbons go uncut.

It will go to James automatically if granted to Edward. Same with older titles like Kent and Gloucester.

Fewer.

Though I expect you object to using the Kings English!

Visions of Edward and Sophie booking a nice holiday for coronation week and closing their diaries thereafter. Perhaps pitching their autobiographies to the highest bidder ...?

I'm sure Wills and Kate can pick up the slack

It's 'the King's English'.

I think Edward should have it, it was always the understanding that he would, plus he and Sophie are working Royals. It is a fine line between having a bloated RF with lots of "hangers on" and not having enough working to do the less glamourous stuff, which is actually valued and the bread and butter of what they are "for" really.

Wonder if he's planning to announce it at the Coronation, though?

I mean possibly just before!

I don't think, "Hmm, I don't care about knitting or cats or stationery, I best make that point now I'm here".
I mainly lurk in the Royal Family threads if they pop up on active but this made me laugh.

No it wouldn’t, it went to Philips oldest son when he died, Charles. It only reverted to the crown when Charles became king. James would inherit it.

Given that they are actually working royals and seem to perform their duties with discretion and alacrity, it would seem far more fitting for Edward and Sophie to have a dukedom than Harry & Meghan in California?

Does Charles have a secret grudge against Edward? Relationships between siblings can be fraught, as plenty of Mumsnet threads illustrate!

@kingtamponthefurred - damn, it's a fair cop. Serves me right!

Given that they are actually working royals and seem to perform their duties with discretion and alacrity, it would seem far more fitting for Edward and Sophie to have a dukedom than Harry & Meghan in California?

Yes, that's bizarre. I reckon the Wessex children will inherently get involved in UK charities anyway whereas Harry's children won't even be British. Maybe the problem is that Duke of Edinburgh is highest Scottish title the crown has so it should stay tied closely to the crown to show respect to Scotland?

They are working royals as they are

I am guessing he thinks that the DOE was such a huge character Edward (no offence but more of your background worker bee) wouldn't live up to it and it would be counterproductive. I am not sure I agree but it's a POV.

No. Charles inherited it when Prince Philip died. It has reverted to the Crown now that he has become King and is available to be given out to someone else if he so decides. I think it reverted to the Crown because the ruling King or Queen doesn't bear other titles although I am a little hazy about the details there.

I think Duke of Edinburgh is otherwise a hereditary title though, so if it were to be given to Edward then James (currently Viscount Severn?) would eventually inherit it

It remains to be seen how far Charles goes with the slimming down of the working monarchy.

It might still be conferred later down the line, you never know. Charles wasn’t PoW when he was born but had it granted later. Sometimes they do that.

Correction, Charles wasn’t immediately granted PoW when his mother became queen. Forgot he was born a few years earlier. Point stands.

I meant to add that I think Edward would make a great Duke of Edinburgh. He doesn't have to try and be or emulate his father. He is his own person and I think he is a very good working royal now, as is his wife.

I admit that the Wessexes had a shaky start to their lives as working royals, but they did seem to learn from that and have kept their heads down to get on with it for years now. They redeemed themselves and appear to have put the past behind them. If he were to be given the title then I see no issue with that, even if he is not quite as centre-stage as his father was.

The King (or queen, there is no distinction by sex) is also the Duke of Lancaster. The monarch personally owns the Duchy of Lancaster, as distinct from the Crown Estate.

It wouldn't necessarily go to James. It would be a new creation, and how it descends would be according to the Letters Patent giving it to Edward. Charles could have it descend according to absolute primogeniture which means it would go to Louise. It could also be made for life, meaning it would not pass to heirs. This would be highly unusual for a royal dukedom, but possible, I think.

I assume James will inherit the Wessex title according to the LPs for that creation.

It's possible he'll make an announcement after his coronation.

It's also possible that It might be announced in the New Year Honours.

I think the point about it being Edinburgh is a good one. It might not be all that popular in Scotland for Edward to have that title, even though it is a traditional royal dukedom. I think the best thing would be for Charles to elevate the Wessex earldom and make Edward Duke of Wessex.

I think Edward should be made Duke of Edinburgh. Charles might have a bee in his bonnet about a slimmed down monarchy but he has that already. One of his sons has decided to bugger off and Andrew has been sidelined. Sophie and Edward do quite a lot of Royal duties, Sophie especially stepped up massively in the Queen's later life. Edward is also very heavily involved with the DofE award.

It seemed that the Queen and Prince Philip wished him to have the title so Charles is being a bit pig headed here I think.

Whilst it is an inherited title, I don't think having it means you automatically have to be a working royal. James isn't even HRH and that will be up to him if he wants it when he's 18. His sister doesn't seem to have taken it up.