Titles of the members of Royal Family of Britain...?

Question

Just curious, since am not a British. How do those blue-blooded got their titles?

I mean like:

a) Prince Phillip: Duke of Edinburgh,

b) Charles and Diana: Prince and Princess of Wales,

c) Camilla: Duchess of Cornwall, but when Charles got to be the king, her title will be Princess Consort,

d) Andrew: Duke of York,

e) Anne: Princess Royal,

etc.

What define the "Edinburgh", "Wales", "York",...

Thanks for the answer :)

Answer 1

When Charles becomes King, William will automatically become Duke of Cornwall.  The new King will determine when and if William becomes Prince of Wales.

The Prince of Wales is currently Duke of Cornwall.  This is why his wife is using the title Duchess of Cornwall, since the public would have a snitfit if she used her proper title Princess of Wales.

Answer 2

As usual, people are guided and brainwashed by long tradition.

There is nothing Royal about the royal family, never has been, never will be.

They are descendants of powerful land-owners who held sway over the poorer peasants and it gradually exploded from there and each year something was added to cause them to think they were different to others, but they are not.

They even married into foreign `royal` families to keep their `royal` blood, which was exactly the same as ours and indistinguishable from any other blood.

They eat, drink, and get rid of their `waste` in just the same way as we do.

Past kings and queens actually thought they descended from gods, and that made it even worst.

The main reason we English, but not all, cling to the royalty theme is that it brings in tourists from abroad and more money in the govenment`s coffers. We resent the fact that at one time royalty did not have to pay taxes and we stupid English put up with it while they secreted away millions of pounds.

Get rid of royalty I say.

Answer 3

Prince Philip was born Prince of Greece and Denmark. When he married the heir to the British throne, Princess Elizabeth, he renounced to his rights to the Greek throne and in 1947 King George VI bestowed upon him the title "Duke of Edinburgh".

The eldest sons of a monarchs are usually created "Prince of Wales", which is reserved for the heir to the throne. Prince Charles became Prince of Wales in 1958, by marrying him in 1981 Lady Diana Spencer became Princess Diana, Princess of Wales.

Duke of Cornwall is one of  the traditional titles for the heir apparent and Prince Charles became automatically Duke of Cornwall at birth. Camilla Duchess of Cornwall prefered this title rather than being called "Princess of Wales" what she legally is.

In Scotland they are known as Duke and Duchess of Rothesay rather than Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

Prince Andrew, the Queen's second son, was created Duke of York in 1986, a great honour, because her father was Duke of York before he became King George VI.

In June 1987 the Queen bestowed  the title of Princess Royal on Princess Anne, the Queen's only daughter. This title is  only given to the eldest daughter of the sovereign.

After Prince Charles' accession to the throne he could create Prince William "Prince of Wales". And he doesn't have to do it immediately after being crowned King. Queen Elizabeth became Queen in 1952, but created her son Prince of Wales only in 1958.

Answer 4

Under the feudal system noblemen swore allegiance to the King in exchange for allocation of land. Over the years some of these titles reverted to the crown, perhaps when the title holder died without heir, or through marriage, or when a nobleman became king and, as it were, brought his title with him. Such titles are described as being "merged into the crown".

Alongside this, there has been a tradition of awarding titles to the sons of the monarch. These are generally titular and involve no actual principality or estate. Some of these were newly created; others were old merged titles.

The examples you give are an interesting mixture which illustrate the various ways by which these titles originate.

The Dukedom of Edinburgh was first created in 1726 and bestowed by George I on his grandson Prince Frederick Lewis. Since then the title has merged with the Crown or become extinct three times. It was created a fourth time by George IV for Philip Mountbatten the day before he married Princess (later Queen) Elizabeth. Philip was a Greek royal and therefore held no British title.

Prince of Wales is an ancient title, held by the ruler of independent Wales. In 1282 Edward I deposed Llywelyn ap Gruffyd and the title became dormant. In 1301 Edward awarded the title to his oldest son Prince Edward (later Edward II). Ever since then there has been a tradition of awarding the title Prince of wales to the royal heir. It is not automatically inherited.

Duke of Cornwall. This is another ancient title, which always passes to the monarch's oldest son and heir. The Duke of Cornwall is lord of the Duchy of Cornwall, which provides the income for the Duke. When Charles married Camilla, strictly speaking she should have been styled Princess of Wales; rather she is known as Duchess of Cornwall out of deference to public opinion about Diana; similarly the decision to style Camilla as Princess Consort rather than Queen.

The title Duke of York has been recreated on several occasions and has, since the 15th century, been usually given to the second son of the monarch.

Princess Royal is a style (an honorific form of address) customarily (but not always) awarded by the monarch to his/her eldest daughter. First given 1642.