The Dukedom of Kent is one of the few royal dukedoms. But it won’t be for much longer.
The current Duke of Kent is Prince Edward, a grandson of King George V and a first cousin once removed of King Charles III. He was married to Katherine Worsley, the Duchess of Kent, who died yesterday at the age of 92.
A royal duke is a member of the British royal family who is entitled to the title of Prince and the style of Royal Highness and who also holds a dukedom. So, when do we no longer consider a dukedom royal? This occurs when the person who holds the title is no longer subject to the 1917 Letters Patent and is therefore no longer entitled to the title of Prince and the style of Royal Highness. These Letters Patent restrict the title of Prince to the children of the sovereign, the children of the sovereign’s sons, and the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. This was amended in 2013 to include all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales (i.e. the children of Prince William, who was then known as the Duke of Cambridge)1
There are also several dukedoms that are not royal; these are noble titles.
The basis of both titles is the same, and they are part of the peerage. Other titles in the peerage include the lower-ranking Marquess, Earl, Viscount or Baron and often, Dukes have one or several of these titles as so-called subsidiary titles. The eldest son of a Duke can use his father’s subsidiary title as a courtesy – this means that they do not hold the title themselves. For example, the Duke of Norfolk’s eldest son is known as the Earl of Arundel. Younger sons of Dukes are styled as Lord “Name”, and daughters are styled as Lady “Name.”
The current Duke of Kent was a child of the sovereign son as his father, Prince George, was a son of King George V. When the Duke of Kent passes away and the title passes to his eldest son, the dukedom will no longer be considered royal as his son is not entitled to the title of Prince and the style of Royal Highness under the 1917 Letters Patent.
The Duke of Kent’s eldest son is currently known as the Earl of St Andrews, as that is one of the Duke’s subsidiary titles. The Duke’s younger son is known as Lord Nicolas. Once the Earl of St Andrews becomes Duke of Kent, he will be addressed as His Grace, as is usual for a non-royal Duke.
There are currently eight people in the line of succession to the Dukedom of Kent, so it appears it won’t be going extinct anytime soon.
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