On their wedding day, Prince William and Princess Kate were on the verge of receiving titles that had originally been earmarked for different members of the royal family by the late Queen Elizabeth.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are known today, were initially intended for Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, now the Duchess of Edinburgh, before a last-minute change of heart.
According to a palace insider, Prince Edward had initially expressed a strong preference for a different title, specifically the Duke of Cambridge.
This desire stemmed from his admiration for a character named the Earl of Wessex in the movie “Shakespeare in Love.”
Upon watching the film, he was captivated by the title and sought permission from the Queen to adopt it instead.
This unexpected turn of events surprised many, as royal tradition dictated that the Queen’s youngest son should receive a dukedom upon marriage, following in the footsteps of his older brothers.
However, Prince Edward broke this convention by becoming the first son-in-law of a monarch to be bestowed with an earldom since the Tudor era.
Consequently, Prince William and Kate assumed the coveted titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they tied the knot in 2011.
The love story between Prince Edward and Sophie Rees-Jones began at a charity event held at the Queen’s Tennis Club in London back in 1993.
Sophie, who worked as a public relations executive at the time, caught the eye of Prince Edward, leading to their first date – a tennis match followed by a romantic dinner at Buckingham Palace.
Their relationship flourished over the years, culminating in their engagement announcement on January 6, 1999.
Despite expectations, Prince Edward did not receive a dukedom upon marrying Sophie on June 19, 1999.
Instead, he was granted the title of Earl of Wessex, making Sophie the Countess of Wessex.
The couple’s titles underwent another transformation last year, with Edward and Sophie being designated as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, respectively, in honor of Prince Philip on Edward’s 59th birthday in March.
As part of this change, their son James inherited the title of Viscount VII based on Edward’s estates, assuming the role of the new Earl of Wessex.
While Edward will retain the title of Duke of Edinburgh for his lifetime, it will not be passed down hereditarily to James.
Speculation suggests that the title may eventually pass to one of the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, with Prince Louis emerging as a probable successor.
A recent poll conducted by Express.co.uk in January 2023 sought readers’ opinions on whether Prince Edward should receive the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
The results overwhelmingly favored Edward, with 94% of the 10,781 respondents supporting his claim to the Duchy of Edinburgh, reflecting a widespread sentiment among royal enthusiasts.