30 April 2023 , 06:12
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Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones were given brand new titles last month by King Charles ahead of his Coronation.
The royal couple, who married in 1999, are now the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, with Charles granting the wishes of the late Queen and Prince Philip by offering his younger brother the title on his 59th birthday.
The pair previously held the titles The Earl and Countess of Wessex, which was somewhat out of the ordinary for a royal couple in modern times.
It had been expected that The Queen's youngest son would be given a traditional Dukedom like his two elder brothers when he married more than 20 years ago and it was a surprise when it was announced he would be The Earl of Wessex.
Prince Edward and Sophie with the late Prince Philip (Getty Images)But the unusual title wasn't a snub from The Queen at all, and it was actually his request to be titled the Earl of Wessex. And the reason for his choice was unexpected.
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It later came to light that The Queen had offered Edward the Dukedom of Cambridge (the title which Prince William and Kate were eventually granted when they married in 2011), but he refused it for a very surprising reason.
The Earldom of Wessex had not been in use since the 11th century, however Edward reportedly asked the Queen to be named after a character called Lord Wessex in his favourite film, Shakespeare in Love.
A royal insider told The Telegraph in 2010: "Prince Edward was going to be the Duke of Cambridge, but he watched the film Shakespeare in Love, which had a character called the Earl of Wessex.
"He liked the sound of it and asked the Queen if he could have that instead."
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with their daughter Lady Louise Windsor (Getty Images)Now that they are the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, it's interesting that Sophie once spoke of being 'stunned' that she and her husband were offered such a title by Prince Philip before his death.
In an interview with the Telegraph, the Duchess recalled the moment she and Prince Edward were told Prince Philip would like them to take on the title.
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 announcement from Buckingham Palace came on Edward's 59th birthday with his new title, previously held by his father the late Prince Philip, set to be with him for his lifetime.
Their son 15-year-old James now becomes Earl of Wessex - the title that his father was granted on his wedding day - however, there is no change for Lady Louise Windsor, Edward and Sophie's daughter.