Happy 21st Wedding Anniversary to TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex.

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Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG, GCVO, CD, ADC(P) (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born March 10, 1964) is the youngest of four children and the third son of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the time of his birth, he was third in line of succession to the British throne; as of May 2020, he is 11th.

The Earl is a full-time working member of the British royal family and supports the Queen in her official duties – often alongside his wife, the Countess of Wessex – as well as undertaking public engagements for many of his own charities. In particular he has assumed many duties from his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, who retired from public life in 2017.

Edward met Sophie Rhys-Jones, then a public relations executive with her own firm, in 1994. Their engagement was announced on January 6, 1999. Edward proposed to Sophie with an Asprey and Garrard engagement ring worth an estimated £105,000: a two-carat oval diamond flanked by two heart-shaped gemstones set in 18-carat white gold.

Their wedding took place on June 19, 1999 in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. This was a departure from the weddings of his elder brothers, which were large, formal events at Westminster Abbey or St Paul’s Cathedral, and had ended in divorce.

On his wedding day, Prince Edward was created Earl of Wessex, with the subsidiary title of Viscount Severn (derived from the Welsh roots of the Countess’s family), breaking from a tradition whereby sons of the sovereign were created royal dukes.

It was however revealed that the Queen wished that he be elevated from the rank of Earl to Duke of Edinburgh after that dukedom, held by Prince Philip since 1947, reverts to the Crown (after the death of the current Duke and the Queen), and for his children to be styled as the children of an Earl, rather than as prince/ss and royal highness.

He and his wife have two children: Lady Louise Windsor, born November 8, 2003, and James, Viscount Severn, born December 17, 2007, They were born at Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley, They reside at Bagshot Park in Surrey. While their private residence is Bagshot Park, their office and official London residence is based at Buckingham Palace.

The longest duration of holding a dukedom: Royal and Non-Royal, and other Peerage titles

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Earlier last week HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent suffered a mild stroke. At the time of this writing he is still hospitalized. On one of the message boards I frequent the topic of conversation turned to what Dukedom, either royal or non-royal has been held the longest?

The current Duke of Kent inherited his Dukedom from his father, HRH Prince George, Duke of Kent (1902-1942) 4th son of King George V of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Queen Mary (Princess May of Teck). Prince George was created Duke of Kent in 1934. Prince George died when the R.A.F. Short Sunderland flying boat he was on crashed into a hillside near Dunbeath, Caithness, in Scotland while en route from Evanton, Ross-shire, to Iceland on August 25, 1942.  At that time his 7 years old son, HRH Prince Edward of Kent succeeded to the Dukedom of Kent and has held that title for 70 years.

HRH Prince Arthur, The Duke of Connaught, 3rd son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was created as created Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and Earl of Sussex on May 24, 1874 and would hold those titles until his death on January 1942 at the age of 91. He held those titles for 67 years.

Her Majesty the Queen’s husband, HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (son of Prince Andreas of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg) was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich on November 20, 1947 and has held these titles for 65 years.

Their son, Prince Charles, the Current Prince of Wales, automatically took the titles Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland, upon his mother succession to the throne on February 6, 1952. Therefore he has held his dukedoms for 61 years. The title of Prince of Wales is not an inherited title it is created for the heir to the throne at the sovereigns discretion. Charles was created Prince of Wales on July 26, 1958 and has held that title for 55 years.

This takes care of the Royal dukedoms. Who have been the longest holders of non-Royal dukedoms?

Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, (in the Peerage of Scotland) held this Dukedom for 75 years 1752-1827.

George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (in the Peerage of England) held his dukedoms for 59 years. 1758-1817.

The longest held Peerage title was not a Dukedom however. It was an marquesses. George John Patrick Dominic Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend, succeeded to his peerage on 17 Nov 1921. He died on 23 April 2010,having held the peerage for 88 years, 157 days.

The Peer to have lived the longest was Frank Douglas-Pennant, 5th Baron Penrhyn. born 21 Nov 1865, died 3 Feb 1967 Age 101.

June 20, 1837, Princess Alexandrina Victoria becomes Queen

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With the death of King William IV of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of Hanover, on June 20, 1837, his 18 year old niece ascends the throne as Queen Victoria.

Queen Victoria was christened as Alexandrina Victoria and for a while was known as “Drina” in her youth. The first official documents prepared for her on her first day as queen named her Queen Alexandrina Victoria. However the queen requested it to be changed and stated she wanted to be known as Victoria.

Queen Victoria was the only daughter of HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and   Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Her father was the fourth son of King George III and he died in 1820. With both George IV and William IV leaving no legitimate offspring Victoria was heir to the throne. Her accession to the throne also witnessed the separation of the personal union between the United Kingdom and Hanover. Since women were not allowed to rule in Hanover in their own right the Kingdom of Hanover went to her her uncle, HRH the Duke of Cumberland, who became King Ernst August of Hanover. To this day his descendants still call themselves Princes/Princesses of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (retaining this outdated title) which is not recognized in Britain. 

Early in her reign she was able to remove herself from the influence of her mother HRH The Duchess of Kent and her friend and comptroller Sir John Conroy whom she detested. During her first years of her reign she was greatly influenced by her Prime Minister, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne. 

Here is an excerpt from her journal expressing her thoughts upon her accession. 

“I was awoke at 6 o’clock by Mamma, who told me the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Conyngham were here and wished to see me. I got out of bed and went into my sitting-room (only in my dressing gown) and alone, and saw them. Lord Conyngham then acquainted me that my poor Uncle, the King, was no more, and had expired at 12 minutes past 2 this morning, and consequently that I am Queen.”