List of dukes in the peerages of Britain and Ireland

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This is a list of the 30 present dukes in the peerages of the Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, Kingdom of Great Britain, Kingdom of Ireland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1927 and after. For a more complete historical listing, including extinct, dormant, abeyant, forfeit dukedoms in addition to these extant ones, see List of dukedoms in the peerages of Britain and Ireland.

History

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In the Peerage of England, the title of duke was created 74 times (using 40 different titles: the rest were recreations). Three times a woman was created a duchess in her own right; Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, chief mistress of Charles II of England, Anne Scott, 1st Duchess of Buccleuch, wife of Charles II's eldest illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth, and Cecilia Underwood, Duchess of Inverness, wife of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, whose marriage was in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772 and therefore she was not allowed to share her husband's rank. In addition, the Dukedom of Marlborough was once inherited by a woman, the 2nd Duchess of Marlborough, through a special remainder, as happened to the Dukedom of Hamilton when it was inherited by Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton and also the royal Dukedom of Fife, which was created for the Earl Fife by Queen Victoria, on the occasion of his marriage to Louise, Princess Royal, eldest daughter of the future King Edward VII. A second dukedom of Fife was created in 1900 that could pass through the female line, which was eventually inherited by Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife. Out of the 74 times, 37 titles are now extinct (including the two women's), 16 titles were forfeit or surrendered, 10 were merged with the Crown, and 11 are extant (see list below). The first, Cornwall, is a title that automatically goes to the heir apparent (if and only if he is also the eldest living son of the Sovereign). One of the duchies that was merged into the Crown, Lancaster, still provides income to the sovereign. All but three of the non-royal ducal titles which became extinct did so before the 20th century (the Duke of Leeds became extinct in 1964, the Duke of Newcastle in 1988, and the Duke of Portland in 1990). The last English dukedom to be forfeit became so in 1715. The last British dukedom to become extinct was the title of Duke of Portland in 1990.[1]

The oldest six titles – created between 1337 and 1386 – were Duke of Cornwall (1337), Duke of Lancaster (1351), Duke of Clarence (1362), Duke of York (1385), Duke of Gloucester (1385), and Duke of Ireland (1386). The Duke of Ireland was a title used for only two years and is somewhat confusing since only a small portion of Ireland was really under the control of England in 1386; it is not to be confused with the dukedoms of the Peerage of Ireland. Clarence has not been used since 1478, when George (the brother of Edward IV) was executed for treason. (However Clarence has since been used as half of a double title, most recently until 1892 when Victoria's grandson (and son of the Prince of Wales), the Duke of Clarence and Avondale, died at the age of 28). The titles of Duke of York and the Duke of Gloucester have both become extinct more than once and been re-created as titles within the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Both titles are reserved for princes (and their descendants). The Duke of Lancaster has merged with the Crown and so is held by the monarch.

Besides the dukedoms of Cornwall and Lancaster, the oldest extant title is that of Duke of Norfolk, dating from 1483 (the title was first created in 1397). The Duke of Norfolk is considered the premier duke of England. The premier duke of Scotland is the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon. The premier duke of Ireland is the Duke of Leinster.[2]

Order of precedence

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Heraldic representation of the Coronet of a British duke.

The general order of precedence among dukes is:

  1. Dukes in the Peerage of England, in order of creation
  2. Dukes in the Peerage of Scotland, in order of creation
  3. Dukes in the Peerage of Great Britain, in order of creation
  4. Dukes in the Peerage of Ireland created before 1801, in order of creation
  5. Dukes in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and dukes in the Peerage of Ireland created after 1801, in order of creation

Whilst the general order of precedence is set according to the age of the peerage, the sovereign's Grace may accord any peer higher precedence than his date of creation would warrant. The royal dukes are dukes of the United Kingdom, but rank higher in the order of precedence than the age of their titles warrants, due to their close relationship to the monarch. The Duke of Cornwall holds precedence above all dukes, royal and non-royal, and is the Duke of Rothesay, and of Cambridge.

Dukes in the peerages of Britain and Ireland

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# Title Creation Arms Current holder Age Acceded Peerage Notes
1. Duke of Cornwall 1337 [Notes 1]   Prince William, 25th Duke of Cornwall 42 2022 England Also Duke of Rothesay in the Peerage of Scotland 1398 and Duke of Cambridge in the Peerage of the United Kingdom 2011 – see below
2. Duke of Norfolk 1483   Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk 67 2002 England Hereditary Earl Marshal of England, responsible for royal ceremony.
3. Duke of Somerset 1547   John Seymour, 19th Duke of Somerset 71 1984 England  
4. Duke of Richmond 1675   Charles Gordon-Lennox, 11th Duke of Richmond 69 2017 England Also Duke of Lennox in the Peerage of Scotland (1675) – see below
5. Duke of Grafton 1675   Henry FitzRoy, 12th Duke of Grafton 46 2011 England  
6. Duke of Beaufort 1682   Henry Somerset, 12th Duke of Beaufort 72 2017 England  
7. Duke of St Albans 1684   Murray Beauclerk, 14th Duke of St Albans 85 1988 England  
8. Duke of Bedford 1694   Andrew Russell, 15th Duke of Bedford 62 2003 England  
9. Duke of Devonshire 1694   Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire 80 2004 England  
10. Duke of Marlborough 1702   James Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough 68 2014 England  
11. Duke of Rutland 1703   David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland 65 1999 England  
Duke of Rothesay 1398 [Notes 1]   Prince William, 24th Duke of Rothesay 42 2022 Scotland Also Duke of Cornwall in the Peerage of England (1337) – see above
12. Duke of Hamilton 1643   Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton 46 2010 Scotland Also Duke of Brandon in the Peerage of Great Britain (1711) – see below
13. Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry 1663 / 1684   Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch 70 2007 Scotland  
Duke of Lennox 1675   Charles Gordon-Lennox, 11th Duke of Lennox 69 2017 Scotland Also Duke of Richmond in the Peerage of England (1675) – see above
14. Duke of Argyll 1701   Torquhil Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll 56 2001 Scotland Also Duke of Argyll in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1892) – see below
15. Duke of Atholl 1703   Bruce Murray, 12th Duke of Atholl 64 2012 Scotland  
16. Duke of Montrose 1707   James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose 89 1992 Scotland  
17. Duke of Roxburghe 1707   Charles Innes-Ker, 11th Duke of Roxburghe 43 2019 Scotland  
Duke of Brandon 1711   Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Brandon 46 2010 Great Britain Also Duke of Hamilton in the Peerage of Scotland (1643) – see above
18. Duke of Manchester 1719   Alexander Montagu, 13th Duke of Manchester 61 2002 Great Britain  
19. Duke of Northumberland 1766   Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland 67 1995 Great Britain  
20. Duke of Leinster 1766   Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster 76 2004 Ireland  
21. Duke of Wellington 1814   Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington 79 2014 United Kingdom  
22. Duke of Sutherland 1833   Francis Egerton, 7th Duke of Sutherland 84 2000 United Kingdom  
23. Duke of Abercorn 1868 [Notes 2]   James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn 90 1979 Ireland  
24. Duke of Westminster 1874   Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster 33 2016 United Kingdom  
Duke of Gordon 1876   Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Gordon 69 2017 United Kingdom Also Duke of Richmond in the Peerage of England (1675) and Duke of Lennox in the Peerage of Scotland (1675) - see above
Duke of Argyll 1892   Torquhil Campbell, 6th Duke of Argyll 56 2001 United Kingdom Also Duke of Argyll in the Peerage of Scotland (1701) – see above
25. Duke of Fife 1900   David Carnegie, 4th Duke of Fife 63 2015 United Kingdom  
26. Duke of Gloucester 1928 [Notes 3]   Prince Richard, 2nd Duke of Gloucester 80 1974 United Kingdom  
27. Duke of Kent 1934 [Notes 3]   Prince Edward, 2nd Duke of Kent 89 1942 United Kingdom  
28. Duke of York 1986 [Notes 3]   Prince Andrew, 1st Duke of York 64 1986 United Kingdom  
Duke of Cambridge 2011 [Notes 3]   Prince William, 1st Duke of Cambridge 42 2011 United Kingdom Also Duke of Rothesay in the Peerage of Scotland (1398) and Duke of Cornwall in the Peerage of England (1337) – see above.
29. Duke of Sussex 2018 [Notes 3]   Prince Harry, 1st Duke of Sussex 40 2018 United Kingdom  
30. Duke of Edinburgh 2023 [Notes 3]   Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh 60 2023 United Kingdom Life peerage

List of heirs of dukes in the peerages of the British Isles

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Heirs apparent

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Heir Dukedom Relationship Notes
Royal dukedoms
Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster Gloucester Only son (b 1974)
George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews Kent Eldest son (b 1962)
Prince George of Wales Cambridge Eldest son (b 2013) Not styled Earl of Strathearn
Prince Archie of Sussex Sussex Only son (b 2019) Not styled Earl of Dumbarton
Peerage of England
Henry Fitzalan-Howard, Earl of Arundel Norfolk Eldest son (b 1987)
Sebastian, Lord Seymour Somerset Eldest son (b 1982)
Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara Richmond Eldest son (b 1994)
Alfred FitzRoy, Earl of Euston Grafton Eldest son (b 2012)
Henry FitzRoy Somerset, Marquess of Worcester Beaufort Eldest son (b 1989)
Charles Beauclerk, Earl of Burford St Albans Only son (b 1965)
Henry Russell, Marquess of Tavistock Bedford Only son (b 2005)
William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington Devonshire Only son (b 1969) Does not use Marquess of Hartington
George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford Marlborough Eldest son (b 1992)
Charles Manners, Marquess of Granby Rutland Eldest son (b 1999)
Peerage of Scotland
Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale Hamilton Eldest son (b 2012)
Walter Scott, Earl of Dalkeith Buccleuch Eldest son (b 1984)
Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara Lennox Eldest son (b 1994) See Duke of Richmond
Walter Scott, Earl of Dalkeith Queensberry Eldest son (b 1984) See Duke of Buccleuch
Archibald Campbell, Marquess of Lorne Argyll Eldest son (b 2004)
Michael Murray, Marquess of Tullibardine Atholl Eldest son (b 1985)
James Graham, Marquess of Graham Montrose Eldest son (b 1973)
Frederick Innes-Ker, Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford Roxburghe Only son (b 2024)
Peerage of Great Britain
Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale Brandon Eldest son (b 2012) See Duke of Hamilton
George Percy, Earl Percy Northumberland Eldest son (b 1984)
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornington Wellington Eldest son (b 1978) Does not use Marquess of Douro
James Granville Egerton, Marquess of Stafford Sutherland Eldest son (b 1975)
James Hamilton Marquess of Hamilton Abercorn[Notes 2] Eldest son (b 1969)
Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara Gordon Eldest son (b 1994) See Duke of Richmond
Charles Duff Carnegie, Earl of Southesk Fife Eldest son (b 1989)

Heirs presumptive

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Heir Dukedom Relationship Notes
Peerage of Great Britain
Lord Kimble Montagu Manchester Younger brother Title disputed
Peerage of Ireland
Edward FitzGerald Leinster Nephew

Dukes without heirs

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Duke Notes
Royal dukedoms
Duke of York Currently divorced with issue but no sons
Duke of Edinburgh Dukedom granted for life only
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Duke of Westminster Married with no issue
The Earl of Wilton is the heir presumptive to his Marquessate of Westminster.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b As the eldest son of the Sovereign, the Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay ranks higher in precedence than he would by virtue of the seniority of his dukedoms alone.
  2. ^ a b The Dukedom of Abercorn was created after the Acts of Union 1800. It takes precedence after earlier Dukedoms of the United Kingdom.
  3. ^ a b c d e f As members of the Royal Family, these dukes rank higher in precedence than they would by virtue of the seniority of their dukedoms alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Debretts". n.d. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Debretts". n.d. Retrieved 9 March 2015.

Sources

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