(Image: WireImage) Get the latest entertainment news sent straight to your inbox with our weekly Showbiz newsletter More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show me See Our Privacy Notice See Our Privacy Notice × Group 28 Get the latest entertainment news sent straight to your inbox with our weekly Showbiz newsletter Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up No thanks, close We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice Sophie Wessex was offered Kate Middleton's title - but Prince Edward stepped in. It's well-known that Prince Edward and his wife Sophie were very close to the late
Queen before she passed away at 96 in 2022. Prince Edward met Sophie Rhys-Jones at a charity event at the Queen's
Tennis Club in
London, and they announced their engagement six years later on January 6, 1999. Before their wedding, it was announced that they would be known as The Earl and Countess of Wessex. This surprised everyone because people thought the Queen's youngest son would get a traditional Dukedom like his older brothers. When King Charles became king after his mother died, he gave his brother Edward their late father Prince Philip's title: the Duke of Edinburgh. Read More Related Articles Royal Family's 'brutal' New Year portrait was 'designed to send message' to Harry Read More Related Articles Kate Middleton's strict rule for staff at
Kensington Palace to protect her family The Earl and Countess of Wessex then became known as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. But you might wonder why Prince Edward was an Earl for so long while his brothers and nephews were all Dukes, reports the Mirror . Actually, Prince Edward was supposed to get a Dukedom and he was the first person in his position to become an Earl since Tudor times. Royals latest news William and Harry's truce Meghan and Harry stole spotlight Kate's staff 'haven't seen her' Wild rumours about William and Kate And the unusual title wasn't a snub from the Queen at all: it was actually his request to be titled the Earl of Wessex. And the reason for his choice was unexpected, but it matched his love for theatre and the arts. Prince Edward and Sophie married in 1999 (Image: PA) It was later revealed that the Queen had offered Edward the Dukedom of Cambridge (the title eventually given to
Prince William and Kate when they wed in 2011), but he turned it down for a surprising reason. The Earldom of Wessex hadn't been used since the 11th century, but Edward reportedly asked the Queen to be named after a character called Lord Wessex from his favourite film, Shakespeare in Love. A Royal insider explained to the Telegraph in 2010 why Edward chose that name, saying: "He liked the sound of it and asked the Queen if he could have that instead." When the news of the unexpected title broke, it was announced that the
Royal Family planned for Edward to become Duke of Edinburgh upon both his father's death and his elder brother's accession, which eventually happened. The Duchess of Edinburgh was last held as a courtesy title by the late Queen from her marriage to Philip in 1947 until she became queen in 1952. The title was originally offered to The Countess of Wessex (Image: PA) The Countess once shared the moment she and Prince Edward were told Prince Philip wanted them to take on the title in an interview with the Telegraph. She said: "We sat there slightly stunned. He literally came straight in and said, 'Right. I'd like it very much if you would consider that'." The Duke of Edinburgh title was first held by King Charles after Prince Philip died because he was the oldest son. Now that Charles is King, the title has gone back to the Crown and can be given to another Royal family member. People think Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip wanted Edward and Sophie to have the Duke of Edinburgh title. But it was up to King Charles to decide as the King. Join the Daily Record
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Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile , select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Edward once said in a
BBC interview that his dad had hoped for this but it wasn't certain. He said: "It was fine in theory, ages ago when it was sort of a pipe dream of my father's .... and of course, it will depend on whether or not the Prince of Wales, when he becomes king, whether he'll do that, so we'll wait and see." When the time came, Charles did give the titles to his brother and sister-in-law. But reports say that the title won't go to James, Edward's son, who is now called Earl of Wessex instead. Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here . Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow Daily Record
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