Having previously covered the Duke of Sussex title and its history, I thought to expand this series. So this time I will be sharing the history of the Duke of Cambridge title as well. The Dukedom has a long and rather interesting history, it seems popular in modern times as well. Being present in the news almost daily. The media really seems very fond of the Cambridges. So let's see how it all started.
First Creation
The title's history starts back in 1660 when King Charles II wanted to create the title for his eldest nephew, the infant Charles Stuart (1660–1661). He was the firstborn son of King Charles's younger brother James, the Duke of York. Sadly the child died at age 6 months of age so the title was never formally created.
The dukedom's first officially recognized creation was in the Peerage of England in 1664, when King Charles II granted the title to his second nephew James Stuart, the infant second son of the Duke of York, who sadly died early in 1667 at the age of three. Then the title again became extinct.
King Charles tried twice more to bestow the title on one of the Duke of Yorks's sons but neither of his nephew (Edgar or the second Charles) survived past childhood. So again the title became extent.
Second Creation
Queen Anne recreated the title in 1706 for Prince George Augustus (later King George II), her distant cousin. George Augustus was third in line to the throne when the title was created, behind his grandmother Sophia and father King George I of Hanover. The dukedom merged with the Crown when George Augustus became King George II and rose to the throne in 1727.
Third Creation
The title was recreated again in1801 by King George III to his seventh son Prince Adolphus who was 27 at that time. Following Adolphus's death in 1850 the title was inherited by his only son Prince George,2nd Duke of Cambridge. George's three sons were barred from inheriting the title as his marriage had gone against the Royal Marriages Act 1772. So upon the death of the 2nd Duke in 1904 the title again became extinct.
Some suspected that Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son, would be given the Dukeship of Cambridge or Sussex in the months leading up to his wedding in 1999, and The Sunday Telegraph later stated that Prince Edward was slated to be styled Duke of Cambridge at one point. Instead, Prince Edward was made Earl of Wessex, and it was stated that, following his father, he would become the future Duke of Edinburgh.
Fourth Creation
On the day of his wedding, Queen Elizabeth II announced that her grandson Prince William had been created Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus. These titles refer to locations in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, three of the United Kingdom's component counties. On May 26, 2011, the great seal was applied to the letters patent conferring these titles.
Prince William's eldest son is next in line for the title. When William takes the throne as king, he is expected to pass his dukedoms to his eldest son, Prince George.
Comments / 2