Dukedoms of hazard

When Princes William and Harry were made royal dukes, their titles were chosen with care. Some carry rather too much history…

- SARAH PRATLEY

Royal dukedoms have been bestowed on princes for centuries. Typically given by the monarch to offspring coming of age or on their marriage, Edward III created the custom when he made his eldest son Duke of Cornwall in 1337. Sovereigns have exercised the privilege ever since, most recently when Her Majesty The Queen gave Prince Harry the dukedom of Sussex on his wedding day in May 2018.

In the British roll of peerage, royal dukes outrank all. “A dukedom is considered royal because the holder is a member of the royal family,” according to editors of Debrett’s Peerage and Baronetage. “They are typically given to spouses of a female monarch, and male sons and grandsons of the monarch.” A few come with the territory. “The eldest son of the sovereign is automatically Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay,” explains Marlene Koenig, royal historian and author of Queen Victoria’s Descendants. Similarly, the monarch is the Duke of Lancaster but here the rules end. “The Queen and her advisors decide which dukedom to allocate depending on which are available as well as a range of other factors,” says Debrett’s. “This may include the history of previous holders.” Herein lies the hazard – history is littered with bad ducal eggs. It was long predicted that Prince Harry would be made Duke of Sussex because while many are available, few are now deemed appropriate.