Duchess Sophie missed out on title not held by royal for over 100 years after Queen Elizabeth 'granted' an unusual request
Duchess Sophie reportedly almost received a very different title to Countess of Wessex when she married Prince Edward in June 1999
Duchess Sophie is said to have missed out on a title that hadn’t been held by a royal for over 100 years after Queen Elizabeth granted an unusual request.
The Royal Family currently has eleven working members and several of them have been bestowed with new titles, patronages and responsibilities in recent years. This includes Prince Edward becoming Duke of Edinburgh, which in turn made his wife Sophie the Duchess of Edinburgh. This is now her most senior title and she holds several others too, all the feminine equivalents of her husband’s titles. However, there was one Prince Edward - and therefore Sophie - was reportedly set to receive from Queen Elizabeth that they missed out on. At the time of their marriage it hadn’t been held by a royal for over 100 years and it ended up being bestowed upon Prince William and Kate in 2011 instead.
"Prince Edward was going to be the Duke of Cambridge, but he watched the film Shakespeare in Love, which had a character called the Earl of Wessex," a courtier previously alleged to The Telegraph. "He liked the sound of it and asked the Queen if he could have that instead."
Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait by Gyles Brandreth | Was £25, Now £18.60 at Amazon
This Sunday Times bestselling biography now has additional photographs and exclusive material about King Charles's coronation. It explores the extraordinary life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth and is written by Gyles Brandreth, who met Britain's longest-reigning monarch on multiple occasions. This makes it all more personal as he reflects upon everything from her childhood to her later years.
If this was indeed the case, then it seems as if Queen Elizabeth had intended to bestow the Duke of Cambridge title upon her youngest son before he apparently made this request after seeing Colin Firth play Lord Wessex. This means that Duchess Sophie would have become Duchess of Cambridge instead of Kate, if Prince Edward hadn't supposedly had a preference for the Earl of Wessex title.
His alleged decision made him the only one of Queen Elizabeth’s sons to not have a Dukedom at the time, as Prince Andrew was already Duke of York and King Charles was Duke of Cornwall at the same time as being Prince of Wales. In light of this, it was perhaps quite an unusual choice from Prince Edward to forgo the Dukedom of Cambridge.
He and Duchess Sophie were known by their Earl and Countess of Wessex titles for 24 years before His Majesty made an exciting announcement on his brother’s 59th birthday last March. Taking to social media he shared that he had bestowed his late father Prince Philip’s Dukedom of Edinburgh upon Prince Edward, which made Sophie a Duchess too.
It had been stated when Prince Edward and Sophie married that it was expected for him to become Duke of Edinburgh "in due course", so it was heart-warming to see King Charles uphold their late parents’ wishes. Whilst he might have had to wait a long time to become a Duke, the Dukedom of Edinburgh undoubtedly means a huge amount to him - and to Sophie.
Sign up for the woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
She remarked upon this in an emotional tribute to her husband for his 60th birthday and how much she feels she "deserves" it in recognition of his work with the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
"He was so happy and humbled when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth made him a Knight of The Garter in 2006 and was equally delighted and moved the day His Majesty The King – who we are both incredibly proud to support - made him Duke of Edinburgh. Both he deserves in equal measure and I am so proud of the man he is," Duchess Sophie proudly declared.
Since they became Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, their son James started using his father’s subsidiary title of Earl of Wessex. Prince William and Kate became Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2010 and they continue to hold these iconic titles, though are now known as Prince and Princess of Wales as their most senior ones.
Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!
-
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart review: At just under £200, is this premium toothbrush worth the spend?
The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart is a premium toothbrush worth the extra spend. Here, tech and health writer Caramel Quin reveals all the details
By Caramel Quin Published
-
Kate Middleton wore incredibly symbolic earrings for surprise royal engagement - their hidden meaning is heartwarming
Kate Middleton often uses her jewellery to incorporate touching and hidden meanings into her outfits
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Duchess Sophie's Puma trainers are the lowest price we've seen - such a bargain for a cool royal-approved shoe staple
Duchess Sophie's Puma trainers are a huge bargain right now and they add a elevated yet relaxed feel to an outfit with minimal fuss
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Duchess Sophie is the picture of bold elegance in dark florals with candy pink nails
The Duchess of Edinburgh's sophisticated outfit proved that florals and shades of pink work just as well in autumn as they do in summer
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Duchess Sophie's terracotta pink jumper and T-shirt hybrid is the style solution we need in the current weather - it’s the perfect outfit base
Duchess Sophie's knitted top is the perfect staple to build a outfit around and the earthy pink shade is a brilliant alternative to jewel tones
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Duchess Sophie's head-to-toe tweed power suit proves it's easier than you think to be both polished and cosy this season
The Duchess of Edinburgh's power suit was the perfect blend of warmth and style for autumnal engagements and we're copying this look
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Duchess Sophie just wore a fabulous burgundy blouse and matching heels - her take on this season’s must-have colour is so timeless
The Duchess of Edinburgh has embraced burgundy and we're taking inspiration from her about styling this on-trend shade so elegantly
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Duchess Sophie’s emerald green wide-leg trousers and longline grey coat outfit was a masterclass in styling jewel tones and neutrals for autumn
The Duchess of Edinburgh isn't afraid to blend brighter shades and neutrals and did it in style at the zoo in 2022 with this gorgeous outfit
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Duchess Sophie’s khaki trench coat dress is the perfect autumn layering piece - if you haven’t embraced muted greens yet you soon will
The Duchess of Edinburgh's sleeveless green trench coat dress was a gorgeous 2023 look that would work beautifully for autumn too
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Move over jewel tones, Duchess Sophie's leopard print accessories have got us so inspired for autumn
Duchess Sophie delivered leopard print with a difference on Christmas Day 2021 as she showcased how to wear it in such an elegant way
By Emma Shacklock Published