Prince Edward is the new Duke of Edinburgh

It’s been in the air for some time and now it’s official: the prince Edward is the new Duke of Edinburgh. The news was made official on Friday 10 March, on the occasion of the 59th birthday of the fourth child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. “Happy birthday to the new Duke of Edinburgh,” tweeted Buckingham Palace in the morning, announcing the conferment of the title.

This closes a question that remained pending after the death of Prince Philip. The Queen’s husband wished that after his death the dukedom of Edinburgh would pass to his son Edward, as evidenced by a Palace note dated 1999, the year of the marriage between Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, when the couple were granted the title of Earls of Wessex : ‘The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales have however agreed that Prince Edward should be given the Dukedom of Edinburgh in due course, when the current title now held by Prince Philip reverts to the Crown.”

Prince Edward, who has always been very reserved, commented only once on the possibility: “It was kind of my father’s dream”he said during a television interview in 2021, “and of course it will depend on the Prince of Wales, when he is king, if he does”.

Created in 1726, the title has so far been attributed only to five members of the royal family, Including Philip and Charles. He recounts the strong bond of the monarchy with Scotland and today is also particularly linked to the memory of the last duke, who received the duchy in 1947on the occasion of his marriage to the then Princess Elizabeth.

Regardless of Philip’s wish, fully respected today, perhaps no one would have deserved the title more than his fourth son. Edoardo has been actively working for Casa Windsor since 2002, supervising over 70 charities, and is also President of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Organization founded by Prince Philip in 1956 dedicated to children and young people; a real community present in 144 countries, focused on sport.

The new duke will be in Edinburgh on Friday 10 March, in the afternoon, together with his wife, to whom the title of duchess goes, the best way to honor the new title, which unlike others is not hereditary: after Edoardo’s death it will not pass to either of his two children, Lady Louise and James (who in light of his father’s new title is the new Earl of Wessex) but will revert to the Crown.

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