Prince William holds a title with a little known tragic past that could potentially be inherited by his sons, George or Louis. Senior members of the Royal Family possess numerous titles, each with their own history dating back centuries.
William became the Prince of Wales when Charles was crowned King and before that he had three other titles including the Duke of Cambridge. Despite being commonly referred to as the Prince of Wales, he still retains the Duke of Cambridge title, which could be passed on to either George or Louis.
Many Royal enthusiasts are unaware of the unfortunate events that have occurred to previous holders of this title. The title dates back to the reign of Charles II, with William being only the eighth person to hold it.
The title was established by Charles II in 1660 and within 17 years, four different individuals had held it due to a series of deaths. The first Duke of Cambridge was Charles Stuart, the king’s eldest nephew, who tragically died at just six months old.
His younger brother, James Stuart, was next in line but sadly died from what is believed to have been smallpox or the bubonic plague. Edgar Stuart, the king’s third oldest nephew, was then made Duke of Cambridge, but he died at the age of three, reports the Mirror.
The title then fell to their younger brother, Charles Stuart, who also died very young, at just 35 days old.
The title was not used again until 1706 when Queen Anne bestowed it upon the future King George II, making him the fifth Duke of Cambridge. King George III later granted the title to his seventh son, Prince Adolphus.
The title then passed to Prince Adolphus’ son, Prince George, but became extinct after his death due to a violation of The Royal Marriages Act of 1772. Currently, Prince George is the heir to the Dukedom of Cambridge, but whether he will inherit the title depends on when his father ascends the throne and when he marries.
But if George inherits his father’s current title, Louis could get a different royal title, the Duke of York, which is traditionally held by the second son of the monarch. But this would of course depend on what happens to Prince Andrew.
Previous Duke of York include the late Queen’s grandfather, King George V and her father, George VI, meaning she was known as Princess Elizabeth of York until her father became the king in 1936.