Prince William and Kate Middleton’s famous royal title was almost given to key royal members, but the move was reportedly blocked by a senior member of the royal family.
Before becoming the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate went by the title the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge but it was originally intended for other royal couple.
Princess Kate, Prince William received a title that was previously earmarked for Prince Edward and Duchess of Sophie, until the King Charles younger brother stepped in and made a surprising decision, according to a Palace courtier.
Edward and Sophie, who tied the knot in 1999, were honoured as the new Earl and Countess of Wessex, they Younger sons of the monarch have customarily been given dukedoms at the time of their marriage, such as Prince Andrew who is the Duke of York.
According to experts, the dukedom of Cambridge likely to be granted to Prince Edward. But, Sophie’s husband instead had his heart set on becoming the Earl of Wessex – and it’s all because of a film.
“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,” a Buckingham Palace source told The Telegraph in 2010.
Edward and Sophie changed their titles again a few months after Charles’s ascension. The couple became the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
Edward was given the title of the Duke of Edinburgh by his older brother King Charles on his 59th birthday (10 March 2023).
Sophie and Edward also opted not to use prince and princess titles for their two children Louise and James even though they were the grandchildren of the monarch.