Talk:Duke of Windsor

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[edit] Inheritable?

Would the title have passed onto any children he might have had with Wallis? --Jfruh 05:34, 22 January 2006 (UTC)

I'd have to see the letters patent to be sure, but most British peerages pass male-preference primogeniture, so it likely could have passed to any sons he and Wallis had. Mackensen (talk) 06:15, 22 January 2006 (UTC)

Well, I'm not completely sure, but the letters patent specifically denied the style Royal Highness to the Duchess and her descendants, so it seems unlikely that the dukedom would've passed to these non-royal children. But then of course I don't know. (Although the legality of denying the HRH to either can be questioned, as wives always take their husbands' titles and his children would still be grandchildren of George V, making them HRH. The letters patent were seemingly even worded to suggest that George VI had to make his brother a Royal Highness, while in fact Edward should never have lost the style as a son of George V.) TysK 02:13, 11 July 2006 (UTC)

There was suggestion at the time that by Edward abdicating the throne, he forfeited all right to hold a royal title. Indeed, there was even suggestion that Edward should be introduced to the people at his abdication broadcast as Mr Edward Windsor. No one really knew what to do, because a voluntary abdication had never occurred, so the Letters patent were worded in a way that appeared generous to Edward; many people thought he had let the country down.

Legally, of course, the style HRH would normally pass to any male-line grandchild of the sovereign (in this case, George V), as laid out by George V's Letters patent of 1917. However, by Letters patent, these rules could be overturned. For example, when George V's father, Edward VII, had created his daughter's daughters the title Princess and the style HRH, which defied the rule that those titles should not pass to a granddaughter in the female line. Presumably, if Letters patent could create the rules, they could also break the rules.

Text of Letters Patent, 1937:

George the Sixth By the Grace of God of Great Britain and Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas King Defender of the Faith To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting Whereas Her late Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Letters Patent dated the thirtieth day of January in the twenty-fourth [sic] year of Her Reign did declare Her Royal Pleasure that certain members of the Royal Family being in lineal succession to the Crown namely the children of the Sovereigns of these Realms and the children of the sons of any Sovereign should have the style title or attribute of Royal Highness And Whereas His late Majesty King George the Fifth by Letters Patent dated the thirtieth day of November in the eigth year of His Reign did extend and amend the said Letters Patent by declaring that as well as those hereinbefore mentioned the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have the style title or attribute of Royal Highness And Whereas Our Brother Edward by his Instrument of Abdication executed on the tenth day of December One thousand nine hundred and thirty six declared his irrevocable determination to renounce the Throne for himself and for his descendants and by His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 effect was given to the said Instrument and by reason of the said Instrument and the said Act his issue if any and the descendants of that issue will not be in the lineal succession to the Crown Now Know Ye that We of our especial grace certain knowledge and mere motion Do hereby declare Our Royal Will and Pleasure that Our Brother Edward having been born in the lineal succession to the Crown shall notwithstanding his said Declaration and the said Act be entitled to hold and enjoy for himself only the style title or attribute of Royal Highness so however that his wife and descendants if any shall not hold the said style title or attribute Our Will and Pleasure further is that Our Earl Marshal of England or his Deputy for the time being do cause these Our Letters Patent or the enrolment thereof to be recorded in Our College of Arms to the end that Our Officers of Arms and all others may take due notice thereof In Witness whereof we have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at Westminster the twenty-seventh day of May in the first year of Our Reign

By Warrant under the King's Sign Manual

            Schuster

(Original letters patent, National Archives, HO 125/17.) Whitehall, May 28, 1937.The KING has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm bearing date the 27th day of May, 1937, to declare that the Duke of Windsor shall, notwithstanding his Instrument of Abdication executed on the loth day of December, 1936, and His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act, 1936, whereby effect was given to the said Instrument, be entitled to hold and enjoy for himself only the title style or attribute of Royal Highness so however that his wife and descendants if any shall not hold the said title style or attribute.

[edit] 1st Duke of Windsor

Have removed the 1st from the succession box as bearers of the style HRH and Prince/Princess do not use numbers. Although Edward abdicated the throne, he was born with the style HRH The Prince Edward, and before his so the numbering is not necessary.

He wasn't born with that style- he was born His Highness Prince Edward of York as the son of the Duke of York and great grandson of Queen Victoria. Astrotrain 14:33, 8 October 2007 (UTC)