Duke of Cornwall
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The Dukedom of Cornwall was the first dukedom created in the peerage of England. The dukedom is the last in England still associated with an actual duchy, the Duchy of Cornwall. There is one other duchy in England, the Duchy of Lancaster, but there has been no Duke of Lancaster since that dukedom merged with the crown in 1413.
The current Duke of Cornwall is Charles, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of the current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
History
See also: Legendary Dukes of Cornwall
According to legend, Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall under King Uther Pendragon, rebelled against the latter's rule when the king became obsessed with Gorlois' wife Igraine. Uther killed Gorlois and married Igraine; the result of the union was the future King Arthur.
The Dukedom of Cornwall always belongs to the eldest son of the Sovereign. Cornwall was the first dukedom ever conferred in the Kingdom of England, being created for Edward, the Black Prince, the eldest son of Edward III in 1336. After Edward predeceased the King, the dukedom was recreated for his son, the future Richard II. Under a charter of 1421, the dukedom passes to the Sovereign's eldest son and heir.
If the eldest son of the Sovereign dies, his eldest son does not inherit the Dukedom. However, if the eldest son should die without children, his next brother obtains the Dukedom. Underlying these rules is the principle that only a son of the Sovereign—never a grandson, even if he is the Heir Apparent—may be Duke of Cornwall. It is possible for an individual to be Prince of Wales and Heir Apparent without being Duke of Cornwall. For example, King George II's heir-apparent, the future George III, was Prince of Wales, but not Duke of Cornwall (because he was the King's grandson, not the King's son).
In 1856 Sir George Harrison successfully argued that the Duchy enjoyed the rights and prerogatives of a County palatine, that it was extraterritorial to England and that the Duke has rights over the whole territory of Cornwall befitting a King.
In 1969-71 the Kilbrandon Report into the British constitution recommended that official sources properly refer to the country of Cornwall as a Duchy and not merely a county. This is in recognition of its special constitutional position.
Following her marriage to The Prince of Wales, Camilla Parker Bowles uses the style 'Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall' rather than 'Princess of Wales'.
Duchy of Cornwall
Traditionally, the Duke of Cornwall is entitled to receive certain feudal dues. The current Duke received his dues at Launceston Castle in 1973, which included a pair of white gloves, a pair of greyhounds, a pound of pepper and cumin, a pair of gilt spurs, one hundred silver shillings, a bow, a spear and firewood. The Duke of Cornwall is also entitled to the income of the Duchy's lands to cover the cost of his public functions. Should there be no Duke of Cornwall at any time, the income of the Duchy goes to the Crown. The Duchy includes over 570 square kilometres of land, half of which lies in Devon.
The Duke also has some rights over the territory of Cornwall, the county, and for this and other reason there is debate as to the constitutional status of Cornwall. The High Sheriff of Cornwall is appointed by the Duke, not the monarch, in contrast to the other counties of England and Wales. The Duke has the right to the estates of all those who die without named heirs (intestate) in the whole of Cornwall, outside of Cornwall such estates go to the Crown. This is known as Bona Vacantia and applies to treasure trove in Cornwall as well. A sturgeon caught elsewhere in Britain is ceremonially offered to the monarch, while in Cornwall it is offered to the Duke. The Duke has right of wreck on all ships wrecked on Cornish shores, but in most of England this is the right of the Crown.
In 2003, the Duchy earned £9,943,000, a sum that was exempt from income tax though the Prince of Wales elected to pay the tax voluntarily. The Duke of Cornwall is still being given many unique statutory "privileges, exemptions, powers, rights and authority" in Cornwall, (Tamar Bridge Act 1998, s.41, and other Acts) on account of his "birth" for personal profit. (ECHR Article 14). In the remaining part of the United Kingdom Crown land is managed by a public body for public benefit. They comprise, the Duchy of Lancaster (Duchy of Lancaster Act 1988), and "The Crown Estate (which) has no holdings in Cornwall". (Their letter: 5th January 2005).
These public bodies are, significantly, unlike the Duchy of Cornwall, statutorily obliged to be involved in the provision of public services and are not under the direct control of the Monarch as the beneficiary of a portion of the proceeds.
Arms
The Arms of the Duke of Cornwall are "sable fifteen bezants Or", that is, a black field bearing fifteen gold coins. A small shield bearing these arms appears on the Prince of Wales' heraldic achievement, below the main shield. This symbol is also used by Cornwall County Council to represent Cornwall.
List of the Dukes of Cornwall
Holders of the Dukedom of Cornwall, with the processes by which they became dukes of Cornwall and by which they ceased to hold the title:
| Duke of Cornwall | Parent | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edward, the Black Prince | Edward III | 1337 (Parliament) | 1376 (death) |
| Richard of Bordeaux | Edward, the Black Prince | 1376 (charter) | 1377 (acceded as Richard II) |
| Henry of Monmouth | Henry IV | 1399 (Parliament) | 1413 (acceded as Henry V) |
| Henry | Henry V | 1421 (birth) | 1422 (acceded as Henry VI) |
| Edward of Westminster | Henry VI | 1453 (birth) | 1471 (death) |
| Edward Plantagenet | Edward IV | 1470 (charter) | 1483 (acceded as Edward V) |
| Edward, Earl of Salisbury | Richard III | 1483 (father's accession) | 1484 (death) |
| Arthur Tudor | Henry VII | 1486 (birth) | 1502 (death) |
| Henry Tudor, Duke of York | Henry VII | 1502 (death of brother Arthur) | 1509 (acceded as Henry VIII) |
| Henry | Henry VIII | 1511 (birth) | 1511 (death) |
| Henry | Henry VIII | 1514 (birth) | 1514 (death) |
| Henry | Henry VIII | 1534 (birth) | 1534 (death) |
| "Edward" | Henry VIII | 1536 (birth) | 1536 (death) |
| Edward Tudor | Henry VIII | 1537 (birth) | 1547 (acceded as Edward VI) |
| Henry, Duke of Rothesay | James I | 1603 (father's accession) | 1612 (death) |
| Charles Stuart, Duke of York | James I | 1612 (death of brother Henry) | 1625 (acceded as Charles I) |
| Charles James Stuart | Charles I | 1629 (birth) | 1629 (death) |
| Charles Stuart | Charles I | 1630 (birth) | 1649 (acceded as Charles II) |
| James Francis Edward Stuart | James II | 1688 (birth) | 1689 (father's deposition) |
| George Augustus | George I | 1714 (father's accession) | 1727 (acceded as George II) |
| Frederick Lewis | George II | 1727 (father's accession) | 1751 (death) |
| George Augustus Frederick | George III | 1762 (birth) | 1820 (acceded as George IV) |
| Albert Edward | Victoria | 1841 (birth) | 1901 (acceded as Edward VII) |
| George | Edward VII | 1901 (father's accession) | 1910 (acceded as George V) |
| Edward | George V | 1910 (father's accession) | 1936 (acceded as Edward VIII) |
| Charles | Elizabeth II | 1952 (mother's accession) |
Additional details appear in Cokayne, George Edward, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, A. Sutton, Gloucester, 1982. [orig. 13 volumes, published by The St. Catherine Press Ltd, London, England from 1910-1959; reprinted in microprint: 13 vol. in 6, Gloucester: A. Sutton, 1982 ]
See also
- Earl of Cornwall
- Cornwall
- Duchy of Cornwall
- Duke of Rothesay
- Duchess of Cornwall
- List of topics related to Cornwall
External links
- The Duchy of Cornwall at The Prince of Wales's website
- Duchy Originals the Duchy's organic produce brand
- Guardian Unlimited article
- Tyr Gwyr Gweryn Information on the Duchy of Cornwall
- Celtic Frontier or County Boundary? Competing discourses of a late nineteenth century British border
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