Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester was unable to attend the Cenotaph ceremony on Remembrance Sunday last week as he was forced to follow medical advice. Royal insiders said the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are in the at-risk category when it comes to COVID-19 due to their ages of 79 and 74, and therefore they followed precautionary advice to remain at home. But why will the Duke of Gloucester title one day forever change?
Who is Prince Richard?
Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, 76, is the Queen’s cousin.
The youngest son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Richard was born in 1944.
This makes Richard the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary.
READ MORE: Royal Family: Who are Queen Elizabeth II’s cousins? How old are they?
Why is the Duke of Gloucester called Prince Richard when his children do not use the prince/princess titles?
The Duke of Gloucester and his wife Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester, have three children together: Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster, Lady Davina Windsor and Lady Rose Gilman.
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester holds the Prince title, but his children hold the titles of Earl and Lady.
None of his children were able to use the prince title due to their relatively low place on the line of succession.
READ MORE: Duke of Kent title: Prince Edward’s son will never hold royal title
Why will the Duke of Gloucester title change in the future?
The Duke of Gloucester, 76, is currently 27th in line to the British throne.
His eldest son Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster, is 28th in line to the throne.
However, both of these royals’ place in the line of succession will drop once Princess Eugenie’s baby is born next year.
Bearing in mind the rules of male primogeniture which concern his Duke of Gloucester title, his son will one day inherit the title.
However, while his son is expected to inherit the dukedom upon his father’s death, it will change irrevocably at that time.
The royal dukedom will in fact cease to exist in its current state as Alexander is not a prince.
He was considered to be too far removed from the Crown to be given a royal title at the time of his birth.
Therefore he will one day be named His Grace, The Duke of Gloucester rather than HRH, the Duke of Gloucester.
