King Charles III gave his brother Prince Edward the title of Duke of Edinburgh on his birthday on Friday.

To celebrate the 59th birthday of the King’s youngest sibling on Friday, royal officials announced that Prince Edward had been granted the Duke of Edinburgh title, which was previously held by their late father Prince Philip.

“His Majesty The King has been pleased to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, on the occasion of His Royal Highness’s 59th birthday,” the official statement reads. “The title will be held by Prince Edward for His Royal Highness’s lifetime.

“The Dukedom was last created for Prince Philip in 1947, upon his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, who held the title of Duchess of Edinburgh before acceding to the throne in 1952.

“The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are proud to continue Prince Philip’s legacy of promoting opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to reach their full potential.”

Prince Edward was made the Earl of Wessex in 1999 when he married Sophie, now Duchess of Edinburgh. He was given the additional title of Earl of Forfar by his mother Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 to mark his 55th birthday.

The former Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, passed away in April 2019 at the age of 99, while the Queen died in September 2022 aged 96.

– Cover Media