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King Charles Gifts Brother with Massive New Title for His Birthday (and It Used to Belong to Their Dad)

King Charles just gave his younger brother, Prince Edward, a birthday gift that he will never forget. 

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Today, Prince Edward is celebrating his 59th birthday. In honor of this special occasion, his brother King Charles, 74, revealed that he’s given the royal title of the Duke of Edinburgh to Edward. Many royal aficionados may remember that the title once belonged to their late father, Prince Philip, who passed away at the age of 99 on April 9, 2021. 

The King of England confirmed the news in a touching birthday tribute dedicated to the newly appointed duke. Alongside a photo of Prince Edward shared on the royal family’s Instagram page, the caption read, “Wishing the new Duke of Edinburgh a very Happy Birthday today! The King has conferred the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon his brother, Prince Edward, on his 59th birthday.”

According to People, Prince Edward’s son, James Viscount Severn, 15, will now become the Earl of Wessex. The title once belonged to his father, who was given the role when he married Sophie Rhys-Jones, 58, in 1999. 

In light of the recent change, updates have been made to the official royal family website to reflect the new titles in the British family line of succession. Also, Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, has now inherited the title of the Duchess of Edinburgh, which was previously held by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

King Charles sure knows how to give a memorable birthday present.

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Assistant Editor, News And Entertainment

Karelle McKay is the Assistant Editor of News and Entertainment at PureWow. Before she started writing about all things pop culture, she was a literal couch potato who loved...