In a surprising turn of events, Sophie Wessex was offered the title of Duchess of Cambridge, a title that ultimately went to Kate Middleton.
This unexpected twist came about during her marriage to Prince Edward in 1999, when she was initially given the title of Countess of Wessex.
Their close relationship with the late Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the age of 96 in 2022, has always been a notable aspect of their royal journey.
Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones first crossed paths at a charity event held at the Queen’s Tennis Club in London.
Fast forward six years, and the couple announced their engagement on January 6, 1999.
As they prepared for their wedding, the Palace revealed that they would be styled as the Earl and Countess of Wessex, which caught many off guard.
Most expected Edward, being the youngest son of the Queen, to receive a traditional dukedom like his older brothers.
Upon the passing of Queen Elizabeth, King Charles ascended to the throne and granted his brother Edward the title of Duke of Edinburgh, a title that once belonged to their father, Prince Philip.
Consequently, the Earl and Countess of Wessex became known as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
But why did it take so long for Edward to be recognized as a Duke while his siblings and nephews were already Dukes?
Interestingly, Edward was indeed entitled to a dukedom.
In fact, he was the first royal to hold the title of Earl since Tudor times.
Contrary to what some might think, this unusual title was not a slight from the Queen; rather, it was Edward’s personal choice.
His preference for the title of Earl of Wessex was rooted in his love for the arts, particularly theatre.
It was later revealed that the Queen had offered Edward the dukedom of Cambridge, a title that would eventually go to Prince William and Kate Middleton upon their marriage in 2011.
But Edward turned it down for an unexpected reason.
The Earl of Wessex title had been dormant since the 11th century, yet Edward reportedly requested this title because of a character named Lord Wessex from his favorite film, Shakespeare in Love.
A royal insider shared with the Telegraph back in 2010 that Edward simply liked the sound of the name and asked the Queen if he could have it.
When the announcement of his title was made, it became clear that the royal family had plans for Edward to inherit the Duke of Edinburgh title upon the death of their father and the accession of his elder brother, which eventually occurred.
The title of Duchess of Edinburgh was last held by the late Queen, who carried it from her marriage to Prince Philip in 1947 until she became queen in 1952.
Sophie has recounted the moment when they were informed that Prince Philip wanted them to take on the title.
In an interview with the Telegraph, she described sitting there in disbelief when Prince Philip expressed his wishes.
With King Charles now on the throne, the dukedom of Edinburgh has merged with the Crown, making it available for bestowal once again.
There are hopes that King Charles will grant Sophie the title, as both the Queen and Prince Philip had desired for Edward and Sophie to take on the dukedom.
However, the final say rests with King Charles as the reigning sovereign.
Edward himself has expressed that the idea of holding the dukedom was more of a distant dream in the past.
He noted in a BBC interview that it was all fine in theory but depended on what Prince William would decide when he eventually becomes King.
When the moment arrived, King Charles did indeed confer the titles upon Edward and Sophie.
However, it has been reported that the dukedom will not be passed down to their son, James, who is currently known as the Earl of Wessex.
This adds another layer of intrigue to the ever-evolving dynamics of the royal family and their titles.
