Edward and Sophie, Earl and Countess of Wessex

[grandduchessella]

Oh, that's so nice for them.  After the ectopic pregnancy and then the near-tragedy of Louise's birth, hopefully this pregnancy will go smoothly for them.

[Mary R.]

How wonderful! Hope everything goes well for them! 

Mary R.

[bookworm857158367]

That's nice for them. I wonder if they used fertility treatments, given her age and past difficulties? Hopefully everything will go well and the pregnancy and delivery will be uneventful. It would be nice if they had a son to carry on the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

[emeraldeyes1969]

A link to the story on the Hello! website. 

http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2007/07/02/sophie-edward-baby/

[dmitri]

I like this couple very much and their charming daughter. I was thrilled to hear that the Countess is expecting another baby in December. I had almost given up the idea that this would ever happen for Edward and Sophie. What a wonderful Christmas present for all of them. I rather hope it is a boy, but a little girl I am sure would be equally welcome.

[dmitri]

I really haven't seen much about Edward and Sophie of late. I hope that the Countess will have a trouble free pregnancy this time. It would be nice to think it would be a little boy although a little girl would be equally delightful. What a lovely Christmas present for The Queen and Prince Philip to look forward to in their Diamond Wedding anniversary year.

[Lucien]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3DhVBqXobU&mode=related&search=

[Alixz]

I have been back-reading this thread and I have only one question about all of the titles that were discussed.

Why, since Edward is already a prince, why does it matter if he is an Earl or a Duke or a Marquise (pronounced marqwesse)?

Doesn't the title of prince supersede all the others?  Or does it have to do with income from the duchy or a proper title for the prince's wife?  Or proper titles for the prince's children?

I remember that Anne, was not created Princess Royal until later in her life, but Vicky (QV's daughter) was Princess Royal from birth.  And Anne's children are lord and lady, but Andrew's are both princess?  Is that because the title follows the father's line? Just why does each royal child of the ruling monarch, or descendant there of, have not only the title of prince but also a dukedom?

I guess that is more than just one question   

[Taren]

I remember that Anne, was not created Princess Royal until later in her life, but Vicky (QV's daughter) was Princess Royal from birth.  ?

Naming one's daughter the Princess Royal is at the sovereign's discretion. Queen Victoria chose to name her daughter Princess Royal at birth, while Queen Elizabeth chose to name her daughter in 1987. There can only be one Princess Royal at a time and the queen's aunt, Princess Mary, held that title until her death in 1965, so Anne could not have been created Princess Royal at birth regardless (she was born in 1950).

And Anne's children are lord and lady, but Andrew's are both princess?  Is that because the title follows the father's line?

Yes, titles go through the male line. Because Peter and Zara Phillips' father has no title (though one was offered to him) they hold no titles themselves. They aren't lord and lady -they're just Mr. Phillips and Miss Phillips. Beatrice and Eugenie of York have titles because their father is titled.

[Victor]

'Prince' is the higher rank certainly but if the Sovereign choses to bestowe them with another title,they are usually refered to that way.The Duke of Kent is Prince Edward,The Duke of Glouster is Prince Richard.Those two gentlemen are princes because they are grandsons of a King through a direct male line.Their princely titles run out with the present generation.Their sons will be Dukes but not princes,but still royal Dukes I suppose you might say.Interesting how historically these titles have never lasted for more than a generation or two.Perhaps that is changing now.If Edward as no sons will the Wessex title be preserved I wonder?In the past it would not but perhaps the Queen will decree the title through the female line,rather like the Mountbatten title.

[CHRISinUSA]

If I am not mistaken, this situation arose because originally only the Sovereign's eldest son and heir was styled Prince, while younger sons and daughters were often addressed more informally.  From the time of Edward III, nearly every younger son of a King who survived to adulthood was created a duke.

[dmitri]

The children of the Princess Royal have no titles whatseover. He is Mr.Peter Phillips and she is Miss Zara Phillips. They take after their father and not their Mother. The children of The Earl and Countess of Wessex are given titles according to the daughter of son of an Earl hence Lady Louise Windsor and if there is as the next child a son he will be Viscount Severn (the lesser title of his father) - decided by HM The Queen.

[Taren]

What are the subsidiary titles for the Duke of Edinburgh since the Earl of Wessex (and any of his future sons) would be the holders of those titles? Since the Prince of Wales is the current Duke's oldest son, do he and Prince William currently hold those titles?

[dmitri]

Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich from memory. They are his titles only.

[grandduchessella]

Yes,  Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich were the titles given to him at the same time as his marriage. As far as I can tell, they were created especially for him and have no historical connection. When Prince Alfred was created Duke of Edinburgh he was given the subsidiary titles of Earl of Kent & Earl of Ulster but they are now associated with the Kent dukedom. Has it ever been said for sure that the Dukedom will pass to Edward or has it just been speculation?