There has been a big title change announced by the Royal Family this morning, as Buckingham Palace has confirmed to the press that Prince Edward, the youngest child of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II, has been named as the new Duke of Edinburgh. It's an especially poignant role, as it was one held by Prince Philip for over 70 years, after he was given the title on his wedding day to Her Majesty back in 1947.
The decision to pass the title on to Edward, who up until now has been known as the Earl of Wessex, came directly from King Charles III, and the date of the announcement is no coincidence either – the news of the new Duke of Edinburgh's appointment was made public on 10 March 2023, which is Edward's 59th birthday.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "His Majesty The King has been pleased to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon the Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, on the occasion of His Royal Highness's 59th birthday. The title will be held by Prince Edward for His Royal Highness's lifetime.
"The Dukedom was last created for Prince Philip in 1947, upon his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, who held the title of Duchess of Edinburgh before acceding to the throne in 1952. The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are proud to continue Prince Philip's legacy of promoting opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to reach their full potential."
This also means that Edward's wife, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex , will now be known as the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The couple will be appearing in Edinburgh later today, to mark the happy occasion.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
