Royal Family News
Why Prince Edward’s Youngest Son Forfeited His Right of Succession
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, is one of the few working members of the royal family.
He holds the title of HRH, but his children do not.
The Duke of Kent has three children, but only two are included in the line of succession.
This raises the question: why has his youngest child, Lord Nicholas Windsor, forfeited his right of succession?
Who is the Duke of Kent?
Born Prince Edward on October 9, 1935, he is the son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark.
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He is the first cousin to both the Queen and Prince Philip, as well as the older brother of Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra.
His father was the younger brother of the former monarch, King George VI.
The Duke and Duchess of Kent currently reside at Wren House in Kensington Palace.
Prince Edward joined the armed forces when he turned 18 and remained in the army for more than 21 years.
He retired from the army in 1976 and began undertaking more work on the Queen's behalf.
In 1961, he married Catherine Worsley whom he met on an army base.
The 85-year-old royal is currently 37th in line to the British throne, but he will fall to 38th once Princess Eugenie's baby is born next year.
Male primogeniture rules dictate that hereditary peerages, such as dukedoms, can only be passed on to sons and not daughters.
As the eldest son of Prince George and Princess Marina, he became the Duke of Kent once his father died in August 1942.
Prince Michael of Kent is titled as a prince, but Edward is titled as a duke.
The Royal Family's website explains this titled decision as a royal custom.
In the British Royal Family, a son of a monarch is a royal prince, and he is given the title of Duke on his marriage.
Prince Michael's father, Prince George, was made Duke of Kent when he married Princess Marina of Greece, Prince Michael's mother.
The title Duke of Kent was inherited by Prince Michael's older brother.
If his parents had more sons, they would also have had the title of Prince, only the eldest inheriting the ducal title.
The Duke of Kent and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Kent, have three children together: George Earl of St Andrews, Lady Helen Taylor, and Lord Nicholas Windsor.
Prince Edward holds the prince title, but his children hold the titles of Earl, Lady, and Lord.
None of his children were able to use the prince title due to their relatively low place in the line of succession.
Lord Nicholas' mother, Catherine, Duchess of Kent, was received into the Catholic Church in 1994.
He was also received into the Catholic Church in 2001 in a private ceremony.
This meant he forfeited his right of succession to the British throne under the terms of the Act of Succession 1701.
The Act of Settlement 1701 outlines that no Roman Catholic, nor anyone married to a Roman Catholic, can hold the crown.
The monarch had to instead swear to maintain the Church of England, and after 1707, the Church of Scotland.
In conclusion, the Duke of Kent is a member of the royal family who has served in the armed forces and now works on behalf of the Queen.
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