Editing Duke of Edinburgh (section)

==2023 creation==
It was announced in 1999, at the time of [[Wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones|his wedding]], that [[Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex|Prince Edward]] would eventually be granted the Dukedom of Edinburgh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/TheEarlofWessex/The%20Earl%20of%20Wessex.aspx |title=The Earl of Wessex |publisher=Royal.gov.uk |access-date=2010-10-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203012826/http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/TheEarlofWessex/The%20Earl%20of%20Wessex.aspx |archive-date=3 December 2010 }}</ref> The idea came from Prince Philip, who unexpectedly conveyed his wish to Edward and his fiancée, [[Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh|Sophie Rhys-Jones]], only days before their wedding. Edward, then seventh in the [[line of succession to the British throne]], had expected the dukedom to be granted to [[Prince Andrew]], his older brother.<ref name=Tominey>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2023/03/10/prince-edward-new-duke-edinburgh-title-palace-process/|title=Prince Edward may have the Duke of Edinburgh title – but getting it wasn't easy|work=The Telegraph|first=Camilla|last=Tominey|date=10 March 2023|accessdate=10 March 2023}}</ref>

Prince Philip died in April 2021. His dukedom was inherited by his eldest son, Prince Charles, before it merged in the Crown when Charles became king. The dukedom was then recreated for Prince Edward, in accordance with Prince Philip's wishes. Edward, who had by then dropped to the 14th place in the line of succession because of births of those higher in line, said in June that his being granted such a prestigious title was "a pipe dream of my father's".<ref name="Tominey" /> In July, ''[[The Times]]'' reported that Charles had decided not to give the title to his brother.<ref>{{cite news |title=Edward wants to be Duke of Edinburgh but his brother is not on his side |first=Roya |last=Nikkhah |date=11 July 2021 |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/edward-wants-to-be-duke-of-edinburgh-but-his-brother-is-not-on-his-side-77v25z3b0 |access-date=13 July 2021 |url-access=limited |archive-date=12 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712220756/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/edward-wants-to-be-duke-of-edinburgh-but-his-brother-is-not-on-his-side-77v25z3b0 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Clarence House]] did not deny the reports, which were met with disapproval by commentators in light of Edward and Sophie's increased role in the monarchy after Andrew withdrew from public life and Charles's son [[Prince Harry]] and daughter-in-law [[Meghan, Duchess of Sussex|Meghan]] quit royal duties.<ref name="Tominey" />

It was suggested in November 2022, shortly after Charles III ascended the throne, that Buckingham Palace was considering saving the dukedom for the new king's granddaughter [[Princess Charlotte of Wales (born 2015)|Princess Charlotte of Wales]] in recognition of her high place in the line of succession and her being the first female member of the [[British royal family|royal family]] whose place in the line of succession cannot be superseded by a younger brother.<ref name="Tominey" />

The dukedom was bestowed on Prince Edward on the occasion of his 59th birthday on 10 March 2023.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=63995 |date=15 March 2023 |page=4994}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.royal.uk/dukedom-edinburgh|title=The King confers The Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward|work=The Royal Family|date=10 March 2023|accessdate=10 March 2023|archive-date=10 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310120219/https://www.royal.uk/dukedom-edinburgh|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{cite news |title=King Charles grants Prince Edward Duke of Edinburgh title |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64913224 |access-date=10 March 2023 |work=BBC News |first=Sean |last=Coughlan |date=10 March 2023}}</ref> This fourth creation of the title is a [[life peerage]], meaning that Edward's son, [[James, Earl of Wessex|James]], will not inherit the dukedom (unlike Edward's other peerages). This allows Charles to honour his father's wish and reward his brother and sister-in-law while making it possible for Charles's heir apparent, [[Prince William]], to confer it on one of his children. According to [[Camilla Tominey]] of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', there had been concerns about the effect that "giv(ing) the Edinburgh dukedom to someone descending fast down the royal ranking" would have on the [[Scottish independence]] debate. She proposes that "the prospect of Scottish independence now looking less likely" in the light of [[Nicola Sturgeon]]'s resignation made the conferral less of a risk.<ref name="Tominey" />