Duchess of Cornwall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Duchess of Cornwall
Coat of arms of the Duchess of Cornwall
Incumbent Camilla Parker Bowles since 9 April 2005
Style	Her Royal Highness Ma'am
Residence	Clarence House
Inaugural holder	Joan of Kent
Website	princeofwales.gov.uk

Duchess of Cornwall is a courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. The Dukedom of Cornwall is a non-hereditary peerage title held by the British monarch's eldest son and heir. The current Duchess of Cornwall is Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles), since her 9 April 2005 marriage to Charles, Prince of Wales.

Prior to their marriage, the title was historically used only in Cornwall, since customarily the monarch's eldest son and heir is created Prince of Wales and his wife is styled as Princess of Wales, and those titles are typically used to refer to them. In Scotland, the titles of Duke and Duchess of Rothesay are used instead.

Since the title of Duke of Cornwall can be held only by an heir apparent who is also the eldest son of the monarch, no woman can be Duchess of Cornwall in her own right. However, this may change now that proposals to change the rules of succession are completed.

History

The first Duchess of Cornwall was Joan of Kent ("The Fair Maid of Kent"), who, in October 1361, married Edward, the Black Prince. Catherine of Aragon was also Duchess of Cornwall through her marriage to Arthur, Prince of Wales, who was the Duke of Cornwall.

Prior to the current holder of the title, the most recent Duchess of Cornwall was Diana, Princess of Wales. During her marriage, she was usually styled as Princess of Wales (except in Scotland, as noted above), as have been most Duchesses of Cornwall.

Before the present Duchess, the only Duchesses of Cornwall to be styled as such were Caroline of Ansbach, wife of the future King George II, who was styled as "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge" from 1 August to 27 September 1714, and Mary of Teck, wife of the future King George V, who was styled as "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and York" from 22 January to 9 November 1901. In both cases, they were known by the title for only a few months between their respective father-in-law's accession to the throne and their respective husband's creation as Prince of Wales.

Style and title

Prior to the marriage of Camilla Parker Bowles with the Prince of Wales, it was stated that she would be styled as Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall. She does not use the title of Princess of Wales, because it is still popularly associated with Diana, Princess of Wales, the former wife of the Prince of Wales. Upon her husband's accession to the throne, it was intended that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will be styled as Her Royal Highness The Princess Consort, although she would legally be entitled to the title of Queen. However, in 2018, the press release to that effect was removed from the Clarence House website.

Duchesses of Cornwall

Person	Name	Birth	Marriage	Became Duchess of Cornwall	Spouse	Ceased to be Duchess of Cornwall	Death
	Joan, 4th Countess of Kent	19 September 1328	10 October 1361		Edward of Woodstock	7 June 1376 Husband's death; became Dowager Duchess of Cornwall	7 August 1385
	Lady Anne Neville	11 June 1456	13 December 1470		Edward of Westminster	4 May 1471 Husband's death; became Dowager Duchess of Cornwall; later became Queen Consort as the wife of Richard III	16 March 1485
	Infanta Catherine of Aragon	16 December 1485	14 November 1501		Arthur Tudor	2 April 1502 Husband's death; became Dowager Duchess of Cornwall; later became Queen Consort as the wife of Henry VIII	7 January 1536
	Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach	1 March 1683	22 August 1705	1 August 1714	Prince George	11 June 1727 Husband acceded to throne as George II; became Queen Consort	20 November 1737
	Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg	30 November 1719	17 April 1736		Prince Frederick	31 March 1751 Husband's death; became Dowager Duchess of Cornwall	8 February 1772
	Duchess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel	17 May 1768	8 April 1795		Prince George	29 January 1820 Husband acceded to throne as George IV; became Queen Consort	7 August 1821
	Princess Alexandra of Denmark	1 December 1844	10 March 1863		Prince Albert Edward	22 January 1901 Husband acceded to throne as Edward VII; became Queen Consort	20 November 1925
	Princess Mary of Teck	26 May 1867	6 July 1893	22 January 1901	Prince George	6 May 1910 Husband acceded to throne as George V; became Queen Consort	24 March 1953
	Lady Diana Spencer	1 July 1961	29 July 1981		Prince Charles	28 August 1996 Divorced; assumed the style of Diana, Princess of Wales	31 August 1997
	Camilla Parker Bowles	17 July 1947	9 April 2005			Incumbent