Posted on 04/29/2011 12:22:43 AM PDT by naturalman1975
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS ISSUED BY THE PRESS SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN
The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince William of Wales. His titles will be Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.
Prince William thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Miss Catherine Middleton on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.
Background:
DUKEDOM: Cambridge:
In 1706 George Augustus (subsequently George II) the only son of George Ludwig, Elector of Hanover (subsequently George I of Great Britain) was created with other titles Duke of Cambridge. On the accession of his father to the throne in 1714 he also became Duke of Cornwall and was created Prince of Wales. On his own accession to the throne in 1727 the Dukedom of Cambridge merged with The Crown and ceased.
Cambridge was previously a Royal Dukedom and four sons of James, Duke of York (afterwards James II) who died in infancy were all created Duke of Cambridge. As an Earldom Cambridge was a medieval Royal title. Edward IV was Duke of York and Earl of Cambridge till proclaimed King of England in 1461 when his titles merged with The Crown.
His father and grandfather both Richard Plantagenet were both Earls of Cambridge and the latter was also Duke of York. Edmund of Langley, 5th son of Edward III and great-grandfather of Edward IV, was created Earl of Cambridge in 1362 and Duke of York in 1385.
The Dukedom of Cambridge created in 1801 became extinct on the death of the 2nd Duke of Cambridge in 1904. Cambridge existed as a Marquessate from 1917 when it was conferred on Queen Mary’s brother till 1981 when the 2nd Marquess died and the title became extinct.
EARLDOM: Strathearn
Strathearn has had Royal connections since Robert Stewart, High Steward of Scotland, was created Earl of Strathearn in 1357. In 1371 he succeeded his Uncle as King of Scotland becoming Robert II and the Earldom merged with The Crown Robert II created his 5th son David, Earl of Strathearn in 1371. Subsequently in 1427 the 6th son of Robert II was created Earl of Strathearn.
In 1766 George III’s younger brother Prince Henry Frederick was created Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn. He died without issue in 1790 and in 1799 Queen Victoria’s father was created Duke of Kent and Strathearn. These Dukedoms became extinct on his death in 1820. Finally, Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert, 3rd son of Queen Victoria was created Duke of Connaught and Strathearn in 1874. He died in 1942 and was succeeded by his grandson who died the following year 1943 since when Strathearn as a title has been extinct.
BARONY: Carrickfergus:
An Irish Viscountcy of Chichester of Carrickfergus now held by the Marquess of Donegall was created in 1625 but Carrickfergus alone only existed as a title between 1841 and 1883. The 3rd Marquess of Donegall was created Baron Ennishowen and Carrickfergus, of Ennishowen, co: Donegal and Carrickfergus, co: Antrim. He died in 1883 being succeeded by his brother and the Barony became extinct.
Carrickfergus is County Antrim’s oldest town. The word means Rock of Fergus and as an urban settlement it predates Belfast. It is on the north shore of Belfast Lough and is the site of Carrickfergus Castle which dates from circa 1180 and is one of the best preserved Castles in Ireland.
A very handsome couple, all the best to them and my ancestors’ home country: England!
Charles has always struck me as more of a lounge lizard than a liege...
No. It's in the control of Parliament - laid down in Acts of Parliament. The most important of these is the Act of Settlement of 1701, but the Act of Union of 1800, and His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 (this last is now irrelevant, as Edward VIII/the Duke of Windsor died without heirs but it reflects the fact that even when a King abdicated, Parliament had to alter the succession because the King could not do so himself).
I hope you’re having a good time.......I’m still waiting for local news coverage and the short term weather forecast.......
Given Charles despicable behaviour as it pertains to Camilla one would think people in glass coaches would have more heart when it comes to Fergie.
LOL
Cannot the Queen dissolve the parliament at any time?
Who is commander in chief of the military?
Is the Royal Guard part of the military or a separate entity?
PS: Thanks for the answers, I don’t know squat about Dukes and Lords and all that stuff...
;-)
Hope you enjoyed the wedding, naturalman! I certainly enjoyed watching it here in the States.
Your new Duchess looked absolutely stunning today. (And William looked awfully smart as well!) Good luck to the happy couple.
Regards,
There’s been chatter for years (search engine: charles skipped in royal succession) that Charles would not be acceptable as King.
He’s an outspoken politically (alienating half of Parliament), was divorced, has a controversial business empire, and may have converted to Islam.
The Queen has informal influence, but only Parliament can make the decision.
“Cannot the Queen dissolve the parliament at any time?
Who is commander in chief of the military?
Is the Royal Guard part of the military or a separate entity?”
I’m not British but I believe the answers are that no, she cannot dissolve parliament any time she likes. Only on the advice of the Prime Minister. In theory should a PM need to dissolve parliament and not ask her to do so, she could act but that would be a very unique situation.
The Monarch is comander in chief so in theory the military take their orders from her not the PM, but then she relies on the PM’s advise on this as other issues.
The Royal Guards are a part of the army.
I’ve been a fan of the Royals since my teen years. I got up at 2:30 am in California to watch he and Diana’s wedding. I thought only good things of him until the morning of his wedding when some Fleet Street reporter guy said to Joan Lunden of Good Morning America, that he hoped Diana could deal with Charles’ long time mistress Camila Parker-Bowles. In the American press, their courtship had seemed like a fairy tale. Joan was as shocked by the comment as I was. I read every scrap I could find on both he and Diana for years. After the comment about the monarchy I hoped and still hope that Elizabeth II will abdicate in favor of William, not that I get ANY say in the matter. I also wish William and his bride a long and happy marriage.
Indeed, if she lives to be as old as her mother (nearly 102), she could be on the throne another 17 years (a whopping 76 years, which will probably set the all-time record).
Technically, yes - but the last time a King tried to do it when he shouldn't, Parliament eventually chopped his head off.
There are constitutional conventions that state under what conditions the Queen should do this. Basically, only if the Prime Minister asks her to, or a constitutional crisis has arisen.
Back in 1975, in Australia - which shares basically the same system of government and also shares the Monarch - a constitutional crisis of that nature did develop. But even in that case, the Governor-General (the Queen's appointed representative) dismissed the Prime Minister and appointed the Leader of the Opposition in his place, on the condition that the Leader of the Opposition would ask for an election. Dissolving Parliament simply on their own authority would only occur in a emergency - say, if there was a Prime Minister and government who refused to accept a vote of no confidence.
Who is commander in chief of the military?
The Monarch - the King or Queen.
Is the Royal Guard part of the military or a separate entity?
The Queen's Guard can be drawn from any unit of the British forces, or those of the other Commonwealth Realms (such as Australia). Most commonly, it is done by the one of five Army regigments - the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstream Guards, the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards, or the Welsh Guards (these are the regiments that wear the traditional bearskin hats and red coats) but there is always one other Regiment in the rotation, normally for a two year period - currently that is the The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires). And on occasion, other regiments - British and Commonwealth - are given the task as a special honour - for example, 1988 was Australia's Bicentenniel, and in that year, the Royal Australian Regiment of the Australian Army mounted a guard.
The Cavalry Guard is the Queen's Life Guard, and is normally provided by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals - these were both seen escorting the carriages today) occasionally relieved by the Royal Horse Artillery but again, on a couple of occasions, other units have done it.
Beats the Duke of Dolphins.
Perhaps he possesses an oversized schvanschtupper.
I prefer Sir Loin of Beef...
I have deemed my cat Sir Poopsalot.
Thanks for the detailed reply to my question.
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