|
Q: Llagridd Gwynedd - Hong Kong
When did the tradition of designing stylised royal cyphers for monarchs start? The cyphers used to be used here on postboxes and government badges. I know that every monarch has a different cypher (if not totally different, similar, eg George V and George VI).
It seems that the use of a royal cypher dates from early Tudor times at least. It is believed to have been King Henry VIII who added the letter R to his initial for Rex, making his initials HR, or HVIIIR. It seems the primary use of the cypher was to distinguish between particular Sovereigns as this can seldom be done from arms alone.
There can often be many forms of the cypher depending on where it is to be used. For example, the 1948 sixpence bears the initials GRVI which bears little resemblance to the form actually approved by King George VI at the outset of his reign.
Q: M.S. Ferrell - Virginia, USA
Is it true that The Queen is known as The Duke of Lancaster? Why not The Duchess of Lancaster?
The Queen is toasted by long custom as 'Duke of Lancaster' in the county of Lancashire, at gatherings of the Duchy of Lancaster and by those with Lancastrian connections serving with military units or institutions elsewhere. The history of this custom goes back to the separation of the Duchy from the Crown's other titles and lands; this separation of identities was begun by Henry IV and confirmed in 1461 by Edward IV, and the Duchy has thereafter effectively passed to the reigning monarch.
A charter of 1362 conferred the dukedom of Lancaster on John of Gaunt 'and his heirs male', which means that the title could not have descended past Henry VI, and never have been taken by any Queen of England. In spite of the legal position, all Sovereigns from George V onwards have approved the use of the toast to the Sovereign as Duke of Lancaster. The use of the title as a toast has therefore been approved for at least the last 100 years.
Q: Carolina Pincas - Barcelona, Spain
Who was Lord Mountbatten? Is he related to The Queen?
Lord Mountbatten was the youngest child of Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse. His mother was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. He was closely related to today's royal family, being both a second cousin to King George VI and an uncle of The Duke of Edinburgh.
He served as Supreme Allied Commander of the new South East Asia Command during the second world war and was subsequently appointed as Governor General of India, Governor of the Isle of Wight and the first chairman of the National Electronics Research Council. He was a personal Aide-de-Camp to The Queen from 1953, having been a naval ADC to both King George VI and King Edward VIII.
Lord Mountbatten was murdered in August 1979 when his fishing boat was blown up by an IRA bomb off the coast of Ireland.
Q: Raymond - London
When Prince Charles becomes King, Prince William will be invested as Prince of Wales. What will Prince Harry be then? The Duke of York? Who will inherit the title of the Duke of York?
Titles are usually passed on through the male line. The title of 'Prince of Wales' is an exception to this however, in that the eldest son of The Prince of Wales does not necessarily inherit the title on either his father's death, or his father's accession to the throne. The title is conferred by the Sovereign and has been since the time of King Edward I, when the future Edward II became the first Prince of Wales in 1301. However, it is normal for the eldest son of the monarch to have the title conferred upon him.
Prince Charles, as heir to the throne, did inherit several titles when his mother became Queen, such as Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay. His son would likewise inherit these titles in the event that he became heir to the throne. However Prince Charles did not become 'Prince of Wales' until 1958 when The Queen announced his appointment. His Royal Highness was invested with the title in a ceremony in 1969.
At present, there is no heir to the title of Duke of York, as the present Duke of York has two daughters. In the event that the title is not passed on to an heir, it will revert back to the crown to be potentially used at a later stage. The previous Duke of York was Prince Albert who became King George VI. As he also had two daughters, the title reverted back to the crown when he became king in 1936 and was not used again until it was conferred on Prince Andrew in 1986.
A royal title can therefore survive and be used again without need of an immediate male heir.
Q: Robert Hansen - Austin, TX, USA
On what year and date would Prince Charles surpass the record of Edward VII as spending the greatest period of time as heir apparent?
Prince Albert Edward was born to his parents, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, at Buckingham Palace, on 9 November 1841. As such he was heir apparent for 59 years and 73 days, until the day of his mother's death on 22 January 1901. Prince Charles has been heir apparent since the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952, a total of 51 years and 54 days (to 1 April 2003).
The Prince of Wales would need to be heir apparent until April 2011 before he has been heir apparent longer than Prince Albert Edward (later Edward VII).
> Next page
|
