Prince Charles and Prince Edward are allegedly in a royal rift over the Duke of Edinburgh title which has become available since the death of their father Prince Philip.
- Prince Edward does not currently have a Dukedom and is titled the Earl of Wessex.
- It is thought that Prince Charles is responsible for his younger brother's lack of Duke title.
- In other royal news, Mike Tindall condemns Wembley violence as 'absolutely ridiculous' after breaking up bloody fight.
When Prince Edward married his wife Sophie, they were given the royal titles, the Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex, respectively.
However, it was announced ahead of their wedding that in time, Prince Edward would take on the Duke of Edinburgh title after his father passed.
Since April 2021, when Prince Philip died at the age of 99, Prince Charles has inherited all of his father’s titles, including the Duke of Edinburgh title that was promised to Prince Edward.
A source close to Prince Charles told the Daily Mail, “The Prince [Charles] is the Duke of Edinburgh as it stands, and it is up to him what happens to the title. It will not go to Edward.”
Since his father's death, Prince Edward has spoken about his role as a trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. A post on social media revealed, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, plays a major role in continuing the legacy of this prestigious award.
The post revealed, "The Earl plays an active role in the DofE as Chairman of the Trustees of The Duke of Edinburgh International Award, and Trustee of DofE UK."
Despite his active involvement in upholding the legacy of his father's title, some royal sources revealed that Prince Edward will not be getting the royal title for a far more important reason than simple sibling rivalry.
A source close to Prince Charles told the Daily Mail, "'It isn't just about whether Edward becomes Duke of Edinburgh by rite of passage or not, there have been discussions about the whole top tier of the Royal Family."
The source indicated that Prince Charles plans to slim down the royal family and relieve the taxpayer of paying for the upkeep of a large number of royal family members.
If Prince Edward received the Duke of Edinburgh title, this would then pass to his son James, Viscount Severn.
Although Viscount Severn is only currently 13 years old, he's reportedly being raised to expect a life outside of royal duties. This suggests that Viscount Severn may have no use for the Duke of Edinburgh title and it would be a title with no power or duty attached.
Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex, James, Viscount Severn, Lady Louise Windsor and Sophie the Countess of Wessex
Some reporters now think that Prince Charles will continue holding the name for now.
Biographer Hugo Vickers said of the Duke of Edinburgh title, "If it simply gets merged with Charles's, it will never be heard of again."
Officially, it is still unknown what will happen to this title, perhaps in due course it will be handed to another member of the royal family, or perhaps it will be left as an unused title that died with Prince Philip, only time will tell.
-
I thought my swimsuit buying days were done after splashing out on a designer style - then I discovered this must-have H&M optionPriced at just under £25, the H&M padded-cup swimsuit seriously surprised me
-
I took creatine every day for a month - these are the surprising brain benefits no one talks aboutCreatine is known for its physical benefits, but after trying it for a month, it's the mental benefits I can't stop talking about
-
Forget-me-not blue is the pastel Duchess Sophie always comes back to - it might've overtaken pistachio as our favourite this seasonThe royals love wearing a range of colours for engagements and visits, but there are a few hues that each of them gravitate towards the most.
-
Don't let white jeans daunt you - Duchess Sophie's recent outfit shows they're just as versatile as blue denimBlue jeans are a wardrobe must-have for so many of us but white denim has a reputation for being a lot more challenging to style.
-
Duchess Sophie’s added a dainty Missoma bracelet to her jewellery box and we're buying the exact sameDuchess Sophie wore one bracelet on repeat during her visit to Nepal and this stunning Missoma design is in our basket.
-
Kate Middleton and Duchess Sophie prove that buying items you love in multiple colours can really pay offThey've shown that having your favourite pieces in several shades can be so handy if they're true to your signature style
-
Duchess Sophie means business in powder blue power suit and reminds us tailoring can be fun as well as sophisticatedIf you always thought tailoring was a little too corporate you might re-consider after seeing Duchess Sophie's fabulous pastel co-ord
-
Snake print wedges with lemon-drop-yellow? Duchess Sophie just showed us how it's doneThe Duchess of Edinburgh has brought back one of her favourite dresses for the first time in 2025 and styled it with snake print shoes
-
Duchess Sophie's soothing sage walls and cream cabinets in Bagshot Park kitchen create a sense of calm cosinessThe Duchess of Edinburgh's royal kitchen is a calming space with soft green and cream tones and she once shared a glimpse of it
-
Duchess Sophie brings royal style to New York with chocolate brown blazer and pink satin shirtThe Duchess of Edinburgh was the epitome of smart sophistication in New York in her tailored blazer and contrasting shirt
