Besides the dukedoms of Cornwall and Lancaster, the oldest extant title is that of Duke of Norfolk, dating from 1483 (the title was first created in 1397). The Duke of Norfolk is considered the premier duke of England.
Introduction of dukedoms into England
Edward III of England created the first three dukedoms of England (Cornwall, Lancaster, and Clarence). His eldest son Edward, the Black Prince, was created Duke of Cornwall, the first English Duke, in 1337.
In 1337 Edward III created the first English dukedom for his eldest son, probably in imitation of the French king, who had created his elder son a duke in 1332.
It is one of the five ranks of British nobility and peerage, which, in descending order, are duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron.
To inherit a dukedom, you would need: To be a direct male descendant of a previous holder of the title. For all those with a greater claim to the title (if any) to have already died.
The daughters of a duke, marquess or earl have the courtesy title of "Lady" before their forename and surname.
The Dukedom is usually given to the monarch's second oldest son, and is currently held by Prince Andrew. However, if Prince Andrew has died by the time William ascends the throne, then the title of Duke of York will be passed to Prince Louis, My London reports.
The most recent (non-royal) dukedom to be created is Westminster in 1874. Since 1989 only one dukedom has become extinct, Portland (in 1990), but the Earldom of Portland continues and is currently held by Timothy Bentinck, who plays David Archer in BBC Radio 4's drama series 'The Archers'.
The duke's son would be a marquess and the grandson would be an earl. Only eldest sons or their eldest sons could bear courtesy titles.
Earl is the oldest title and rank of English nobles, and it was also the highest, until 1337, when Edward the Black Prince was created duke of Cornwall by Edward III. It now stands third in precedence, between marquess (1385) and viscount (1440).
Churchill considered accepting the offer of a dukedom but eventually declined it; the lifestyle of a duke would have been expensive, and accepting any peerage might have cut short a renewed career in the Commons for his son Randolph, and in due course, might also have prevented one for his grandson Winston.
The oldest title in the British peerage system is the Earl of Arundel, which has been in existence since 1138. The current holder is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the 18th Duke of Norfolk.
The most powerful of these principalities was the duchy of Burgundy located between France and the German Empire. In 1363, King John II of France granted his son Philip the Bold the duchy of Burgundy; this transaction marked the beginning of Burgundy's zenith of power.
As with any peerage, once the title becomes extinct, it may subsequently be recreated by the reigning monarch at any time.
The Duke of Cornwall holds precedence above all dukes, royal and non-royal, and is the Duke of Rothesay, and of Cambridge.
While Prince George and Prince Louis are likely to receive dukedoms when they are older, there's a royal rule which means that Princess Charlotte won't receive a Duchess title from the monarch.
The last non-royal dukedom was Fife, created - twice - by Queen Victoria for the Earl of Fife: firstly in 1889, when he married Princess Louise, eldest daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales; and secondly in 1900, allowing the dukedom to pass to Fife's daughters in default of a son, and then to the male heirs of ...
If the daughter of a duke marries a peer, she takes his title. If she marries the eldest son of a peer, she takes his title, but in the case of the heir of an earl or lesser peer, she may choose to keep her own title until her husband inherits.
Thus a duke's wife is titled a "duchess", a marquess's wife a "marchioness", an earl's wife a "countess", a viscount's wife a "viscountess" and a baron's wife a "baroness".
a man with a very high social position, just below that of a prince. A woman who has the same social position as a duke, or who is married to a duke, is called a duchess.