Duke of Rothesay

Standard of the Duke of Rothesay

The title Duke of Rothesay is the official title possessed by the Heir Apparent to the throne of Scotland. Though a separate Scottish throne no longer exists and has not since the Act of Union 1707 which merged the Kingdoms of Scotland and England to form the Kingdom of Great Britain (later known as the United Kingdom after a further merger with the Kingdom of Ireland), the title is still held by the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom, as in effect the Scottish equivalent of the English titles Duke of Cornwall, which belongs to the eldest son of the monarch by right, and Prince of Wales which is traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent of the throne of England. The Duke also holds other titles, including Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

History

The dukedom was first conferred on David Stuart, the son of Robert III, King of Scots, in 1398. After his death, his brother James, later King James I, received the dukedom. Thereafter, the heir-apparent to the Scottish Crown held the dukedom; this pattern of succession was confirmed by an Act of the Scottish Parliament passed in 1469.

The Earldom of Carrick was in existence as early as the twelfth century. In 1306, Robert the Bruce, Earl of Carrick, became King Robert I, with the earldom merging in the Crown. In the following years, several heirs-apparent were created Earl of Carrick. The Act of 1469 finally settled the earldom on the eldest son of the Scottish monarch.

The Barony of Renfrew is another dignity held under the 1469 Act, after first having been granted to heirs-apparent in 1404. In Scotland, barons are holders of feudal titles, not peerages: the Scottish equivalent of an English or British baron is a lord of Parliament. Some, however, claim that the barony was elevated to a peerage dignity by virtue of the Act of 1469. Others suggest that the barony became a peerage upon the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Finally, some scholars argue that the uncertainty surrounding the text of the 1469 Act leaves the barony as a feudal dignity.

The office of Great Steward of Scotland (also called High Steward or Lord High Steward) was first held by Walter FitzAlan in the twelfth century. The seventh Great Steward, Robert, ascended as Robert II in 1371. Thereafter, the office was held only by the heirs-apparent to the Crown. It is also covered by the 1469 Act.

Lord of the Isles

Another of the non-peerage titles belonging to the heir-apparent is Lord of the Isles. The Lords of the Isles, of the MacDonald family, were originally vassals of the Scottish Kings who ruled the Western Isles. The ambitious John MacDonald, fourth Lord of the Isles, made a secret treaty with the English King, by which he sought to make himself an independent ruler. In 1475, James III discovered the Lord of the Isles' actions, and the Lordship was subject to forfeiture. MacDonald later restored to his position, but James IV again deprived him of his titles in 1493 after his nephew provoked a rebellion. In 1540, the Lordship was granted to the heirs-apparent to the Crown.

Legal basis

The succession to most of these titles is governed by an Act of the Scottish Parliament passed in 1469, which provides that "the first-born Prince of the King of Scots for ever" should hold the dukedom. Though the Act specified "King," eldest sons of Queens Regnant were also permitted to hold the dukedom. "Prince," however, is not interpreted to include women. The eldest son of the British Sovereign, as Duke of Rothesay, was entitled to vote in elections for Scottish representative peers from 1707, when Scotland and England united into Great Britain, until 1963, when the election of representative peers was abolishe

Current Holder

The title is currently held by HRH The Prince of Wales and used by the Prince when in Scotland. His formal Scottish style is HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay.

Arms

The arms of the Duke of Rothesay quarters the arms of the Great Steward and Lord of the Isles and places the arms of the Duke of Rothesay in the centre.

Title Holders

Holders of the Dukedom of Rothesay, with the processes by which they became Dukes of Rothesay and by which they ceased to hold the title: