I’ve often wondered what that sort of thing was all about. So suppose Harry becomes the Duke of Sussex. Does that actually mean anything? Will he have any real power in Sussex?
Or is it just an empty, honorary title, good for ribbon-cutting ceremonies and little else?
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No, it’s not an empty title. The Duchys are possessed by the Crown, to be given out as the crown sees fit. They are property owned by the Crown, and the Duke and Duchess would receivan income from the properties.
Not in this case. Only two of the Duchies traditionally bestowed on members of the royal family still own property and generate an income - Lancaster (which is always held by the Monarch) and Cornwall (which is always held by the Prince of Wales). None of the others come with any property or income any more.
Prince Harry is already a very wealthy man in his own right (his mother left him most of her fortune, on the basis that his older brother would have less need of it), so the lack of an income will not worry him.
Thanks for the explanation. All of which reminds me of this exchange from the old Bob Newhart show:
Jerry (wondering about his heritage): “I could be a duke or an earl.”
Bob: “You could be the Duke of Earl.”
If he's already a Prince, why does he also need to become a Duke?