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King Charles III took birthday presents to a whole new level on Friday. On the day his youngest brother, Prince Edward, turned 59 years old, Charles, 74, announced that he’d transferred the title of Duke of Edinburgh to him. The title was first created for their father, Prince Philip, which means this is not just a present, but a family heirloom. Edward’s wife, Sophie Rhys-Jones, will now be the Duchess of Edinburgh, a title last held by Queen Elizabeth II. Edward’s son, the 15-year-old James, goes from Viscount Severn to Earl of Wessex.
“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,” Buckingham Palace said in a press release. “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,” the statement read. The release also noted the other times that the Dukedom was created: in 1726, for Prince Frederick, the eldest son of King George II; in 1764, for Prince William, brother of King George III, as part of a joint title – the Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh; and in 1866, for Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria.
King Charles will hold his official coronation on May 6 in London. Despite the drama caused by his son’s new memoir, Charles invited Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to the event. Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, hold the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, despite their decision to step down as senior members of the British Royal family. Harry and Meghan’s rep confirmed that they received “email correspondence” about the coronation, though it was unclear whether or not they would attend.
While Harry missing his father being coronated as King of England would be the ultimate act of family spite, he likely won’t skip the once-in-a-lifetime moment. Royal family sources told the Daily Mail that Megan and Harry have been “factored into all the planning” going down with the event. While they haven’t said “yes,” they haven’t said “no,” either; it’s expected that they will make the event.