Duke of Rothesay

Dynastic title of heir apparent to British throne

Dukedom of Rothesay
Creation date1398
Created byKing Robert III
PeeragePeerage of Scotland
First holderDavid, Duke of Rothesay
Present holderWilliam, Prince of Wales
StatusExtant

Duke of Rothesay (/ˈrɒθsi/ ROTH-see; Scottish Gaelic: Diùc Baile Bhòid; Scots: Duik o Rothesay)[1] is the main dynastic title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the Scottish and, later, British thrones. The dukedom was created in 1398 by Robert III of Scotland for his eldest son.

Duke of Rothesay is the title mandated for use by the heir apparent when in Scotland, in preference to the titles Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, which are used in the rest of the United Kingdom and overseas. The title is named after Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, but is not associated with any legal entity or landed property. The Duke of Rothesay also holds other Scottish titles, including Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

The current holder of the title is William, Prince of Wales, and his wife, Catherine, is the current Duchess of Rothesay.

History

David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay, the son of Robert III of Scotland, first held the dukedom from its creation in 1398. After his death, his brother James, later King James I, received the dukedom. Thereafter, the heir apparent to the Scottish Crown held the dukedom; an Act of the Parliament of Scotland passed in 1469 confirmed this pattern of succession.

The Earldom of Carrick existed as early as the 12th century. In 1306, Robert the Bruce, Earl of Carrick, became King Robert I of Scotland, with the earldom merging in the Crown. In the following years, successive Kings of Scotland created several heirs apparent Earl of Carrick. The Act of 1469 finally settled the earldom on the eldest son of the Scottish monarch.

The office of the Great Steward of Scotland (also called High Steward or Lord High Steward) dates back to its first holder, Walter fitz Alan, in the 12th century. The seventh Great Steward, Robert, ascended the Scottish throne as Robert II in 1371. Thereafter, only the heirs apparent to the Crown held the office. The 1469 Act also deals with this.

Between the 1603 union of the crowns and Edward VII's time as heir apparent, the style "Duke of Rothesay" appears to have dropped out of usage in favour of "Prince of Wales". Queen Victoria mandated the title for use to refer to the eldest son and heir apparent when in Scotland, and this usage has continued since. This may have been as a result, direct or indirect, of the 1822 visit of King George IV to Scotland.[citation needed]

Lord of the Isles

Duke of Rothesay tartan, from the Vestiarium Scoticum.

Another of the non-peerage titles belonging to the heir apparent, that of Lord of the Isles, merits special mention. The Lords of the Isles, of the MacDonald family, originally functioned as vassals of the Scottish, or Norwegian, kings who ruled the Western Isles. The ambitious John MacDonald II, fourth Lord of the Isles, made a secret treaty in 1462 with King Edward IV of England, by which he sought to make himself an independent ruler.

In 1475, James III discovered the Lord of the Isles' actions, and the Lordship became subject to forfeiture. MacDonald later regained his position, but James IV again deprived him of his titles in 1493 after his nephew provoked a rebellion. In 1540 James V of Scotland granted the Lordship to the heirs apparent to the Crown.

Legal basis

An Act of the Parliament of Scotland passed in 1469 governs the succession to most of these titles. It provides that "the first-born Prince of the King of Scots for ever" should hold the dukedom. If the firstborn Prince dies before the King, the title is not inherited by his heir – it is only for the firstborn son, like the Duchy of Cornwall — nor is either inherited by the deceased duke's next brother, unless that brother also becomes heir apparent. Though the Act specified "King", eldest sons of queens regnant subsequently also held the dukedom. The interpretation of the word Prince, however, does not include women. The eldest son of the British Sovereign, as Duke of Rothesay, had the right to vote in elections for Scottish representative peers from 1707. (The 1707 Acts of Union between the Parliament of Scotland and Parliament of England formally unified both kingdoms to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.) This right continued until 1963, when the UK Parliament abolished the election of representative peers.[citation needed]

List of Dukes of Rothesay

Holders of the Dukedom of Rothesay, with the processes by which they became Dukes of Rothesay and by which they ceased to hold the title:

Duke of Rothesay Monarch From To Other title held while Duke
David Robert III 1398 (created) 1402 (death) Earl of Carrick and Earl of Atholl (1398), Baron Renfrew (?), Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (trad.)
James Robert III 1404 (created) 1406 (acceded as James I) Earl of Carrick (1404), Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1404)
Alexander James I 1430 (birth?) 1430 (death) Earl of Carrick (1430), Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1430)
James James I 1431 (created) 1437 (acceded as James II) Earl of Carrick (1431), Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1431)
James James II 1452 (birth?) 1460 (acceded as James III) Earl of Carrick (1452), Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1452)
James James III 1473 (birth) 1488 (acceded as James IV) Earl of Carrick and Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1469)
James James IV 1507 (birth) 1508 (death) Earl of Carrick and Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1469)
Arthur James IV 1509 (birth) 1510 (death) Duke of Albany (1509), Earl of Carrick and Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1469)
James James IV 1512 (birth) 1513 (acceded as James V) Earl of Carrick and Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1469)
James James V 1540 (birth) 1541 (death) Earl of Carrick and Baron/Lord Renfrew (1469), Lord of the Isles (1540), Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1469)
James Charles Mary 1566 (birth) 1567 (acceded as James VI) Earl of Carrick and Baron/Lord Renfrew (1469), Lord of the Isles (1540), Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1469)
Henry Frederick James VI 1594 (birth) 1612 (death) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1610), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Earl of Carrick and Baron Renfrew (1469), Lord of the Isles (1540), Prince and Great Steward of Scotland (1469) (The italicised henceforth "Earl of Carrick, etc. 1469 & 1540)"
Charles, 1st Duke of Albany, 1st Duke of York James VI 1612 (death of brother Henry) 1625 (acceded as Charles I) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1616), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Duke of Albany (1600), Duke of York (1605), Marquess of Ormond (1600), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540), Earl of Ross, Lord Ardmannoch (1600)
Charles James Charles I 1629 (birth) 1629 (death) Duke of Cornwall (1337), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540)
Charles Charles I 1630 (birth) 1649 (acceded as Charles II) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1638), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540)
James Francis Edward James VII 1688 (birth) 1702 (attainted) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1688–1702), Duke of Cornwall (1337–1702), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540)
George, 1st Duke of Cambridge George I 1714 (father's accession) 1727 (acceded as George II) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1714), Hereditary Prince of Hanover, Duke of Cornwall (1337), Duke of Cambridge, Marquess of Cambridge (1706), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540), Earl of Milford Haven, Viscount Northallerton, Baron Tewkesbury (1706)
Frederick, 1st Duke of Edinburgh George II 1727 (father's accession) 1751 (death) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1729), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Duke of Edinburgh, Marquess of Ely (1726), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540), Earl of Eltham, Viscount Launceston, Baron Snowdon (1726)
George George III 1762 (birth) 1820 (acceded as George IV) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1762), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540)
Albert Edward Victoria 1841 (birth) 1901 (acceded as Edward VII) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1841), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540), Earl of Dublin (1850)
George, 1st Duke of York Edward VII 1901 (father's accession) 1910 (acceded as George V) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1901), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Duke of York (1892), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540), Earl of Inverness, Baron Killarney (1892)
Edward George V 1910 (father's accession) 1936 (acceded as Edward VIII) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1910), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540)
Charles Elizabeth II 1952 (mother's accession) 2022 (acceded as Charles III) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (1958), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Duke of Edinburgh (1947), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540)
William Charles III 2022 (father's accession) Incumbent Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester (2022), Duke of Cornwall (1337), Duke of Cambridge (2011), Earl of Carrick, etc. (1469 & 1540)

Family tree

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 Family tree of the Princes of Wales, Dukes of Cornwall, Dukes of Rothesay, Earls of Carrick and Earls of Chester
Earl of Chester (1st creation), 1067–1070
Gerbod the Fleming
(?)
Earl of Chester
Richard Goz
(d. after 1082)
King William I
(c. 1028–1087)
Earldom of Chester (1st creation) forfeit, 1071
Earl of Chester (2nd creation), 1071
Maud (Margaret)Hugh d'Avranches
(c. 1047–1101)
1st Earl of Chester
Adela of Normandy
(c. 1067–1137)
Stephen, Count of Blois
(c. 1045–1102)
King Henry I
(c. 1068–1135)
Ranulf le Meschin
(1070–1129)
3rd Earl of Chester
Richard d'Avranches
(1094–1120)
2nd Earl of Chester
Lucia-Mahaut
(d. 1120)
Robert Rufus
(c. 1090–1147)
1st Earl of Gloucester
Ranulf de Gernon
(1099–1153)
4th Earl of Chester
Maud (Matilda) of Gloucester
(d. 1189)
Hugh of Cyfeiliog
(1147–1181)
5th Earl of Chester
Ranulf de Blondeville
(1170–1232)
6th Earl of Chester
Earl of Lincoln
Matilda (Maud)
(1171–1233)
Countess of Chester suo jure
EARL OF CHESTER (4th reation), 1264
John of Scotland
(c. 1207–1237)
7th Earl of Chester
Earl of Huntingdon
Simon de Montfort
(1208–1265)
Earl of Chester
Earl of Leicester
Earldom of Chester (2nd creation) reverted to the crown, 1237EARL OF CHESTER (3rd creation), 1254Earldom of Chester (4th creation) forfeit, 1265
Edward, Lord of Chester
(1239–1307)
Earl of Chester (without the title of Earl)
later King Edward I
Earldom of Chester (3rd creation) reverted to the crown, 1272
EARL OF CHESTER (5th creation), 1301
Edward of Caernarfon
(1284–1327)
Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester
1301–1307

later King Edward II
Earldom of Chester (5th creation) reverted to the crown, 1307
EARL OF CHESTER (6th creation), 1312
Robert Stewart
(1316–1390)
Earl of Carrick (1316–1368)
later King Robert II of Scots
Edward Plantagenet
(1312–1377)
Earl of Chester (1312–1327)
later King Edward III
Hereafter, the Earldom of Chester was created in conjunction with the Principality of Wales.
DUKE OF CORNWALL, 1337
John Stewart
(1337–1406)
Earl of Carrick (1368–1390)
later King Robert III of Scots
Edward the Black Prince
(1330–1376)
Duke of Cornwall (1337–1376)
Prince of Wales (1343–1376)
John of Gaunt
(1340–1399)
Duke of Lancaster
Lionel of Antwerp
(1338–1368)
Duke of Clarence
Edmund of Langley
(1341–1402)
Duke of York
Dukedom of Cornwall extinct, 1376
DUKE OF CORNWALL, 1376
Richard of Bordeaux
(1367–1400)
Prince of Wales (1376–1377)
Duke of Cornwall (1376–1377)
later King Richard II
John Beaufort
(c. 1371–1410)
King Henry IV
(1366–1413)
Philippa of Clarence
(1355–1382)
Dukedom of Cornwall merged in the Crown, 1377
Roger Mortimer
(1374–1398)
DUKE OF ROTHESAY created, 1398DUKE OF CORNWALL restored, 1399
David Stewart
(1378–1402)
Earl of Carrick (1390–1402)
Duke of Rothesay (1398–1402)
Henry of Monmouth
(1386–1422)
Prince of Wales (1399–1413)
Duke of Cornwall (1399–1413)
later King Henry V
Anne de Mortimer
(1390–1411)
Richard of Conisburgh
(c. 1375–1415)
Earl of Cambridge
DUKE OF CORNWALL, 1460
James
(1394–1437)
Earl of Carrick (1402–1406)
Duke of Rothesay (1404–1406)

later King James I of Scots
Joan Beaufort
(c. 1404–1445)
John Beaufort
(1404–1444)
Duke of Somerset
Henry
(1421–1471)
Duke of Cornwall (1421–1422)
later King Henry VI
Richard Plantagenet
(1411–1460)
Duke of York
Prince of Wales (1460)
Duke of Cornwall
(1460)
Alexander Stewart
(1430)
Duke of Rothesay (1430)
James
(1430–1460)
Duke of Rothesay (1431–1437)
later King James II of Scots
Margaret Beaufort
(1443–1509)
King Edward IV
(1442–1483)
King Richard III
(1452–1485)
James
(1451–1488)
Duke of Rothesay (1452–1460)
later King James III of Scots
King Henry VII
(1457–1509)
Edward of Westminster
(1453–1471)
Prince of Wales (1454–1471)
Duke of Cornwall (1454–1471)
From the 1469 Act of Scottish Parliament, the Earldom of Carrick and the Dukedom of Rothesay was to be automatically held by the "first-born Prince of the King of Scots."
James
(1473–1513)
Duke of Rothesay (1473–1488)
later King James IV of Scots
Margaret Tudor
(1489–1541)
Arthur Tudor
(1486–1502)
Prince of Wales (1489–1502)
Duke of Cornwall (1486–1502)
Henry Tudor
(1491–1547)
Prince of Wales (1504–1509)
Duke of Cornwall (1502–1509)
later King Henry VIII
Edward
(1470–1483)
Prince of Wales (1471–1483)
Duke of Cornwall (1471–1483)
later King Edward V
Edward of Middleham
(c. 1473–1484)
Prince of Wales (1483–1484)
Duke of Cornwall (1483–1484)
James Stewart
(1507–1508)
Duke of Rothesay (1507–1508)
Arthur Stewart
(1509–1510)
Duke of Rothesay (1509–1510)
James
(1512–1542)
Duke of Rothesay (1512–1513)
later King James V of Scots
Henry
(1511)
Duke of Cornwall (1511)
Edward Tudor
(1537–1553)
Prince of Wales (1537–1547)
Duke of Cornwall (1537–1547)
later King Edward VI
James Stewart
(1540–1541)
Duke of Rothesay (1540–1541)
Mary, Queen of Scots
(1542–1587)
James Charles Stuart
(1566–1625)
Duke of Rothesay (1566–1567)
later King James VI/I
Henry Frederick Stuart
(1594–1612)
Prince of Wales (1610–1612)
Duke of Cornwall (1603–1612)
Duke of Rothesay (1594–1612)
Elizabeth Stuart
(1596–1662)
Charles Stuart
(1600–1649)
Prince of Wales (1616–1625)
Duke of Cornwall (1612–1625)
Duke of Rothesay (1612–1625)
later King Charles I
Sophia of Hanover
(1630–1714)
Charles James
(1629)
Duke of Cornwall (1629)
Duke of Rothesay (1629)
styled Prince of Wales
Charles Stuart
(1630–1685)
Prince of Wales (c. 1638/1641–1649)
Duke of Cornwall (1630–1649)
Duke of Rothesay (1630–1649)
later King Charles II
King James II/VII
(1633–1701)
King George I
(1660–1727)
George Augustus
(1683–1760)
Prince of Wales (1714–1727)
Duke of Cornwall (1714–1727)
Duke of Rothesay (1714–1727)
later King George II
James Francis Edward Stuart
(1688–1766)
Prince of Wales (c. 1688–1688)
Duke of Cornwall (1688–1702)
Duke of Rothesay (1688–1702)
Frederick Louis
(1707–1751)
Prince of Wales (1728–1751)
Duke of Cornwall (1727–1751)
Duke of Rothesay (1727–1751)
George William Frederick
(1738–1820)
Prince of Wales (1751–1760)
later King George III
George Augustus Frederick
(1762–1830)
Prince of Wales (1762–1820)
Duke of Cornwall (1762–1820)
Duke of Rothesay (1762–1820)
later King George IV
Edward Augustus
(1767–1820)
Duke of Kent and Strathearn
Queen Victoria
(1819–1901)
Albert Edward
(1841–1910)
Prince of Wales (1841–1901)
Duke of Cornwall (1841–1901)
Duke of Rothesay (1841–1901)
later King Edward VII
George Frederick Ernest Albert
(1865–1936)
Prince of Wales (1901–1910)
Duke of Cornwall (1901–1910)
Duke of Rothesay (1901–1910)
later King George V
Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David
(1894–1972)
Prince of Wales (1910–1936)
Duke of Cornwall (1910–1936)
Duke of Rothesay (1910–1936)
later King Edward VIII
later Duke of Windsor
King George VI
(1895–1952)
Queen Elizabeth II
(1926–2022)
Charles Philip Arthur George
(b. 1948)
Prince of Wales (1958–2022)
Duke of Cornwall (1952–2022)
Duke of Rothesay (1952–2022)
later King Charles III
William Arthur Philip Louis
(b. 1982)
Prince of Wales (since 2022)
Duke of Cornwall (since 2022)
Duke of Rothesay (since 2022)
Duke of Cambridge
Prince George of Wales
(b. 2013)

Current holder

Symbols
Standard
Personal shield of Prince William as Duke of Rothesay
Personal banner of Prince William as used in Scotland

Since 2022 William, Prince of Wales, has held the title of Duke of Rothesay, and uses it when in Scotland. He has the formal Scottish style of HRH The Prince William, Duke of Rothesay.

The personal arms of the preceding Duke were bestowed upon him in 1974 by the Queen. The escutcheon features on the 1st and 4th quarters the arms of the Great Steward of Scotland, with the 2nd and 3rd quarters featuring the arms of the Lord of the Isles.[2] The arms of the current Duke are distinguished from those of Clan Stewart of Appin through the addition of an inescutcheon displaying the arms of the heir apparent to the King of Scots, namely the Royal arms of Scotland with a three-point label. The full achievement of the current Duke's arms are a variation of the Royal coat of arms of Scotland used prior to the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

References

  1. ^ Robert Lindsay (1814). J.G. Dalyell (ed.). "The Cronicles of Scotland". p. 638. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Standards". Princeofwales.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
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