Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Royal status

The Queen created the Duke of Edinburgh a Prince of the United Kingdom in 1957, to correct the blunder that Philip was made a Duke and given the style of Royal Highness, but not made a Prince. To make this change significant, she styled him in the announcement His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, adding the definite article before his princely title, a usage normally restricted to the children of monarchs. An Order-in-Council was also issued in 1960 that stated the surname of male-line descendants of the Duke and the Queen who are not Royal Highnesses or Prince or Princess was to be Mountbatten-Windsor. This was to address the Duke's complaint that he was the only father in the country unable to pass his name to his children. In practice, however, the Queen and the Duke's children have all used Mountbatten-Windsor as the surname they prefer for themselves and their male-line children.

Related Topics:
1957 - Order-in-Council - 1960 - Mountbatten-Windsor

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After her accession to the throne, the Queen also announced that the Duke was to have place, pre-eminence and precedence next to the Queen on all occasions and in all meetings, except where otherwise provided by Act of Parliament. This means the Duke is the first gentleman of the land, and even takes precedence over his son, the Prince of Wales.

Related Topics:
Act of Parliament - Prince of Wales

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The Queen has never granted the Duke the title of Prince Consort. This title was granted to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha by his wife, Queen Victoria, and has never been used again.

Related Topics:
Prince Consort - Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha - Queen Victoria

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As the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, the Duke is 490th in the line of succession to the British Throne.

Related Topics:
Queen Victoria - Line of succession to the British Throne

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