Lady Louise Windsor was ‘unfairly’ overlooked for a royal title because of an ancient 900-year-old rule.
Despite being the eldest child and only daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh Lady Louise was not entitled to a royal title that her younger brother, James, the Earl of Wessex was.
At the time of their birth – in 2003 and 2007 respectively – Edward and Sophie bore the titles of the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
King Charles gave his brother the Duke of Edinburgh title on March 10 last year – Prince Edward’s 59th birthday.
Following the change, his wife, Sophie, became the new Duchess of Edinburgh and their son, James, 16, became the new Earl of Wessex, taking over his father’s former title and effectively leapfrogged his older sister.
However, there was no such change for Lady Louise, who celebrates her milestone 21st birthday today, and that is down to a 900-year-old inheritance rule regarding courtesy titles which is ‘unfair’ to women.
Courtesy titles are only used by the peer’s oldest living son and the eldest son’s oldest living son, and so forth.
Other descendants, including daughters, are not permitted to use the peer’s subsidiary titles. Only the heir apparent (and heir apparent to the heir apparent, and so on) may use them.
This means Louise has been styled as a Lady since her birth.
The same protocol is followed by Charles Spencer’s daughters, who are simply known as Lady Kitty, Lady Amelia, Lady Eliza, Lady Lara and Lady Charlotte, while his fourth-born child – but his eldest son – is known as Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp.
However, it is unlikely that James will inherit Edward’s current title as, whilst the Earl of Wessex is a hereditary title, the Duke of Edinburgh one is not.
That means that after his passing, the Duke of Edinburgh title will go back to the Crown, with Prince William and Princess Kate’s children, especially Prince Louis, being the top candidates.
Lady Louise is currently studying at St Andrews University – where the Prince and Princess of Wales met in 2001.
The modern young royal will no doubt celebrate her 21st in style with her uni pals with her parents also likely to plan something special.
