Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
In all of the Royal Family drama of 2023 it was easy for the less showy members of The Firm to remain a bit more under the radar. But thanks to their hard work and dedication to their royal duties, this pair of royals should be rewarded according to one commentator.
Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex were given the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh by King Charles to mark his brother’s 59th birthday. The title was previously held by their father Prince Philip, who died in April 2021, aged 99.
Rather than keep the titles as hereditary King Charles turned them into life peerages, meaning that they will not be naturally passed onto Prince Edward’s son – James, the Earl of Wessex.
This, according to Daily Mail royal commentator Richard Eden who called Prince Edward and wife Sophie his “unsung royal heroes of the year”, was a mistake. He said: “In my opinion, this was an insult.
“What better way to celebrate Edward and Sophie’s importance than by upgrading the title to a hereditary one?
“Perhaps that would be a good way to encourage their son, James, the Earl of Wessex, to join The Firm when the time comes?”
Former royal editor at The Sun Charles Rae waded into the debate on Talk TV when he was questioned about the proposal by host Ian Collins – but he disagrees that it’s a title that should be passed down.
He said: “When Edward and Sophie’s time comes the title will revert back to the Crown and whoever is the monarch of the day can decide who to give it to.
“I see Richard is suggesting that the title should become hereditary so it can be passed down to his son James who could do work for the Royal Family.
“Well it doesn’t quite work like that. We don’t know whether James is interested in working for the family firm. By which time depending on when they go – they’ve got lots of life left in them yet – but by then we will have George, Charlotte and Louis, will have grown up a little bit.
“You know, by the time they’re 18 they should be starting on the treadmill of royal duties so there may well be enough members of working royals already and that the monarch can then decide who to give that title to.”
He goes on to to say that it was suggested that the title The Duchess of Edinburgh should go down Charlotte.
He added: “But hereditary? I don’t think Sophie and Edward would bother that much whether it’s hereditary or not.”