According to reports, Prince Charles is refusing to allow his younger brother to have the Duke of Edinburgh title after their father, Prince Philip, passed on.
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The Earl of Essex has waited to be given this title for over twenty years but it appears that Prince Charles is adamant on keeping it for himself. In fashion with the royal tradition, the title of the Duke of Edinburgh was immediately passed to Philip’s eldest son after his death in April.
Rights to the title
However, the title had been long expected to be passed to Edward. This was made public in 1999 when Buckingham Palace announced that Edward would succeed his father in the dukedom ‘in due course’ with the blessing of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. After he got married to Sophie Rhys-Jones that year, the Queen granted him the title of the earldom of Wessex, a title he chose.
A source close to Charles revealed that he remains the Duke of Edinburgh as it stands, and that the the title will not go to Edward.
On Charles’ eventual ascension to the throne, the title of the Duke of Edinburgh will merge with the crown—meaning the new King will be able to grant Edward the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
A royal family advisor on heraldry, David White, told the Sunday Times that there was no urgent need for Charles to grant Edward the title after his accession to the throne.
Edward's disposition
Edward is said to be aware that it is not certain that he will be given the title.
In an interview with the BBC last month, he was quizzed: 'You will be the next Duke of Edinburgh, when the Prince of Wales becomes king, that is quite something to take on?'
Edward replied:
It was fine in theory, ages ago when it was sort of a pipe dream of my father’s, and of course it will depend on whether or not the Prince of Wales, when he becomes king, whether he’ll do that, so we’ll wait and see. So yes, it will be quite a challenge taking that on.
The Earl of Wessexalso noted in the past how the granting of the title was ‘nostalgic’ as it could only come to him after both of his parents had passed away.
