Earl of Forfar

History

The title was first created in 1661 in the Peerage of Scotland as a subsidiary title to the Earldom of Ormond. This first creation of the title became extinct in 1715.

The dignity of Earl of Forfar in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was granted in 2019 to Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, on the occasion of his 55th birthday. This earldom was given in addition to the two titles (Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn) that he received on his wedding day and afforded Prince Edward and his wife Sophie a Scottish title to use when in Scotland before Edward was granted the Dukedom of Edinburgh. Unlike his brother (the then Prince Andrew, Earl of Inverness) and nephews (Prince William, Earl of Strathearn and Prince Harry, Earl of Dumbarton), Prince Edward did not receive a Scottish title on the occasion of his marriage.

The County of Forfar, renamed Angus in 1928, contains Glamis Castle, the seat of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, from whom Prince Edward's grandmother Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was descended.

In July 2019, the Earl and Countess visited Forfar on their first official visit to the town since the Queen granted the title in March 2019. He was presented with 'Earl of Forfar' tartan, to decorate the Earl and Countess, by a town firm – the Strathmore Woollen Company. The weave is based on the existing Forfar tartan, which it designed in 2004 on the colours from the Forfar coat of arms. The geometry remains virtually the same, but the colours have been strengthened, with Azure blue replaced by the St Andrew's blue of the Scottish flag, and white yarns replaced by a brown to reflect the rich agriculture of the surrounds.

The couple visited Forfar again in the summer of 2021.

Earls of Forfar, first creation (1661)

Subsidiary title was Lord Wandell and Hartside (Peerage of Scotland, 1661).

• Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Forfar and 2nd Earl of Ormond (1653–1712), younger son of the 1st Earl of Ormond.
• Archibald Douglas, 2nd Earl of Forfar and 3rd Earl of Ormond (1692–1715), only son of the above. On his death without issue in 1715, both earldoms became extinct.

Earls of Forfar, second creation (2019)

| Prince Edward House of Windsor 2019–present also: Duke of Edinburgh (2023), Earl of Wessex (1999), Viscount Severn (1999) | [[File:Prince Edward 2022.jpg|100px|Prince Edward]] | 10 March 1964 Buckingham Palace, London son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip | 19 June 1999 Sophie Rhys-Jones 2 children | now old |- |}

Line of succession

• [[File:Coronet of a Child of the Sovereign.svg|15px]] Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (b. 1964)
  • (1) [[File:Coronet of a Grandchild of the Sovereign.svg|15px]] James, Earl of Wessex (b. 2007)

Notes

References

References

1. {{London Gazette. (15 March 2019)
2. (10 March 2019). "Title for the Earl of Wessex".
3. {{London Gazette. (28 June 1999)
4. (1 July 2019). "The Earl and Countess of Forfar visit Forfar".
5. Brown, Graham. (2 July 2019). "'Honour' to be named Earl of Forfar says Prince Edward as town welcomes him with bridies, tartan and fiddles".
6. The Royal Family. (1 July 2019). "His Royal Highness is presented with 'Earl of Forfar' tartan, which has been designed for Their Royal Highnesses to celebrate their new titles.".
7. "Tartan Details – Earl of Forfar, The". The National Records of Scotland.
8. (30 June 2021). "Fore! The Earl and Countess of Forfar hit the links on Scottish visit".