Britain: William and Catherine

Will they be given titles?  Yes.



Although reportedly reluctant to accept an honour at this time, there's been speculation as to what title William and thus Catherine would be given.  

The last William on the throne of the UK was William IV who was Duke of Clarence and St. Andrews from 1789 until he acceded in 1830.  He was monarch during a period of reform: updating of the poor law, restriction of child labour, abolition of slavery.  

Given that Prince William and Kate Middleton met at St. Andrews University and Clarence House in London is the official residence of The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry, such a title might perhaps be apt.  

The Duke and Duchess of Clarence and St. Andrews, styled as:    

HRH William, Duke of Clarence and HRH Catherine, Duchess of Clarence.

It appears Global Dialog isn't the first to predict that William and Kate will be given a Clarence title.  On February 21, Ephraim Hardcastle of the Daily Mail speculated that the Queen plans to make William a duke before the wedding.  She's leaving it very late, if that's the case.  Anyway, Hardcastle floated the idea of a Clarence dukedom, but reminded his readers that Philippe Julien theorised in 1962 that the last holder, one Prince Albert Victor, a grandson of Queen Victoria, was potentially Jack the Ripper, a notorious serial killer whose real identity was never confirmed.  Yet Prince Albert Victor, who died in 1892, was in fact the Duke of Clarence and Avondale.  Not of Clarence and St. Andrews.  A slight but key difference.  The only ever bearer of the Clarence and St. Andrews title was the man who later became William IV, the "Sailor King".

As a RAF Officer, would Prince William of Wales will be nicknamed the "Flying King" when he accedes as William V?  It'd bring the moniker up to date, at least.

Update April 29 2011:  Congratulations to the newly weds.  Here's hoping the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge every happiness and long lives together.


No comments:

Post a Comment