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Duke of Rothesay


HRH The Prince Charles, 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 done so since the 1707 Act of Union 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 title Prince of Wales, which traditionally belonged to the Heir Apparent of the throne of England.

The other Scottish titles of the heir apparent are: Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew (the Barony being a feudal Barony, and not one of peerage), Lord of the Isles and Great Steward of Scotland.

The title is currently held by HRH Charles, Prince of Wales (more correctly styled simply as 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.

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:

  1. David Stuart - by patent 1398; died 1402
  2. James Stuart - by the death of his elder brother David in 1402; ascended as James I in 1406
  3. Alexander Stuart - son of James I; by birth 1430; died 1430
  4. James Stuart - son of James I; by the death of his elder brother Alexander in 1430; ascended as James II in 1437
  5. James Stuart - son of James II; by birth 1452; ascended as James III in 1460
  6. James Stuart - son of James III; by birth 1473; ascended as James IV in 1473
  7. James Stuart - son of James IV; by birth 1507; died 1508
  8. Arthur Stuart - son of James IV; by birth 1509; died 1510
  9. James Stuart - son of James IV; by birth 1512; ascended as James V in 1513
  10. James Stuart - son of James V; by birth 1540; died 1541
  11. James Stuart - son of Mary I; by birth 1566; ascended as James VI in 1567
  12. Henry Frederick Stuart - son of James VI; died 1612
  13. Charles Stuart, Duke of York - son of James VI; on the death of his elder brother Henry in 1612; ascended as Charles I in 1625
  14. Charles James Stuart - son of Charles I; by birth 1629; died 1629
  15. Charles Stuart - son of Charles I; by birth 1630; ascended as Charles II in 1649
  16. James Francis Edward Stuart - son of James VII; at birth 1688; ceased to be so by his father's deposition in 1689; attained 1702
  17. George Augustus - son of George I; by the accession of his father in 1714; ascended as George II in 1727
  18. Frederick Lewis (or Frederick Louis) - son of George II; on the accession of his father in 1727; died 1751
  19. George Augustus Frederick - son of George III; by birth 1762; ascended as George IV in 1820
  20. Albert Edward - son of Queen Victoria; by birth 1841; ascended as Edward VII in 1901
  21. George Frederick Ernest Albert - son of Edward VII; on the accession of his father in 1901; ascended as George V in 1910
  22. Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David - son of George V; on the accession of his father in 1910; ascended as Edward VIII in 1936
  23. Charles Philip Arthur George - son of Queen Elizabeth II; on the accession of his mother in 1952