What is a duke? And how is the title different from a prince?

And how many are single (asking for a friend)?
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Margaret Abrams28 June 2019

Prince Harry is one and so is Prince William. There’s an entire romantic sub-genre devoted to their aristocratic travails. But what exactly does being a duke entail?

In 2019, ten UK’s dukes got together for the ultimate aristocratic shindig thanks to Tatler’s 300th birthday. This was apparently the largest gathering of dukes since the Coronation back in 1953.

According to Debrett’s, dukes are the highest of the five ranks of the peerage, landing above marquess, earl, viscount and baron.

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How many dukes currently exist? And how many are single (asking for a friend)?

In 2019, there were only 24 dukes, but this doesn’t include dukes in the Royal Family.

According to the BBC, dukes are a dying breed. The documentary The Last Dukes interviewed the 24 remaining dukes and duchesses.

Since 1989, only one dukedom has become extinct but new ones are not created anymore by the Queen (as they used to be) other than for Royal Family members.

Unfortunately, that means there’s a limited supply of available dukes at the moment if you’re hoping for an aristocratic romance, ideally culinating in a wedding ceremony with an heirloom tiara. An earl might be your best bet since this is a numbers game and there are more of them - plus Dukes tend to be older as they inherit the title from their father. Their son/heir apparent might use one of their father's courtesy titles - a younger son of a duke, for example, might use the title Lord.

Circa 1376, Edward the Black Prince,
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When was the first dukedom created?

The first duke received his title in 1337 after Edward III gave his son the title “Duke of Cornwall.” Before that, he was called “The Black Prince.” In 1343, he became the Prince of Wales.

While it's an envy-inducing title, Edward didn't exactly have a great reputation. BBC News asked, "Was Edward the Black Prince really a nasty piece of work?"

Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall
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What’s the difference between a prince and a duke?

It can be a bit confusing at times, as Prince William is the Duke of Cambridge - but not all dukes are princes, like a particularly tricky SAT problem.

A duke is the highest possible rank in the peerage system. The title can either be passed down by a parent and inherited or given as a title by a king or queen. Most princes become dukes when they get married. See: Prince William, who became the Duke of Cambridge when he married Kate Middleton in 2011. Prince Harry famously became the Duke of Sussex when he wed Meghan Markle.

Other royal dukes include Queen Elizabeth’s first cousins, the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent, who are both grandsons of King George V.

Some royal dukes are given their title at a much younger age. Prince Charles became the Duke of Cornwall at only 4-years-old.

But not all princes are dukes. One example is Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son, Prince Edward, who became the Earl of Wessex when he got married.

Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster
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How can someone become a duke?

Put your money clip away, because you can’t buy a dukedom - even though plenty of sketchy websites claim it’s possible. It’s an inherited title and even if you buy a fancy plot of land on the Internet you won’t have any legal rights or privileges.

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