The Duchess of Cornwall is the title held by the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. Duke of Cornwall is a semi-hereditary peerage held by the British Sovereign's eldest son and heir, or, if he is dead with issue, his heir, male or female. (Hereditary not in normal sense, not so that at any time, there is a Duke in principle, but however immediately inherited by the qualified person when the parent accedes the throne, not needing any investiture or creation, and determined only by position in genealogy which are the fundamental criteria of the concept "hereditary".) Until recently, the title was not often used outside Cornwall as the Sovereign's eldest son and heir is usually created Prince of Wales, and usually his wife is styled the Princess of Wales. In Scotland the couple use the title Duke and Duchess of Rothesay. The title of Duke of Cornwall can be held by, besides the eldest son of a monarch who is also heir-apparent, also in case of him being dead before the monarch parent, by his heir, male or female, and therefore a woman could be Duchess of Cornwall in her own right in the rare case of the latter circumstance.
Duchy of Cornwall is a significant property, resembling a foundation, a trust, and intended to provide financial means for the royal heir.
The current Duchess of Cornwall is Camilla, wife of Charles, Prince of Wales since April 9, 2005.
The first Duchess of Cornwall was Joan "The Fair Maid of Kent", who, in October 1361, married Edward, the Black Prince. Before Camilla the most recent Duchess of Cornwall had been Diana, Princess of Wales, from her marriage in 1981 to Charles, Prince of Wales until her divorce from him in 1996. During this period, she was more usually styled The Princess of Wales, as have been most Duchesses of Cornwall.
Before Camilla there were two only Duchesses of Cornwall actually to be styled as such.
Caroline, wife of the future King George II, was known as Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge between the accession of King George I in August 1714 and her husband's creation as Prince of Wales two months later. Mary, wife of the future King George V, was known as Duchess of Cornwall and York between the accession of King Edward VII in January 1901 and her husband's creation as Prince of Wales that November.
When Prince Charles married his long-term companion, Camilla Parker Bowles, it was stated that she would be styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall. Exceptionally, she does not use the style Princess of Wales, as she is entitled to do; this is presumably because the former is more associated with the Prince of Wales' first wife, Diana, Princess of Wales. Also, upon Charles' accession to the throne, it is intended that the Duchess of Cornwall will be styled HRH The Princess Consort, rather than the more usual Queen Camilla.
Literary References
- Shakespeare's King Lear includes the character "Regan, Duchess of Cornwall", Lear's second daughter.
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