New title for the Earl of Wessex

The Queen has been pleased to grant The Earl of Wessex the additional title of Earl of Forfar.

Notes for Editors:

The Earl of Wessex is Patron of a number of Scottish charitable organisations, such as The Edinburgh International Festival, the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland and Badminton Scotland.

As Trustee of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, HRH has supported the non formal education of thousands of young people in Scotland and holds annual Gold Award presentations at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

In 2014 The Earl was Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, The Queen’s personal representative to the Assembly.

Their Royal Highnesses will use the title The Earl and Countess of Forfar when in Scotland.

The Earldom of Forfar was created in 1661 and became extinct as a title in 1715. It was a subsidiary title to the Earl of Ormond and was a title held by the Douglas Family.

The 1st Earl of Forfar (1653 to 1712) was Archibald Douglas. His son, also Archibald Douglas, became the 2nd Earl of Forfar (1692 to 1715). The 2nd Earl took the title at the age of 20 and died without issue leaving the Earldom, part of the Peerage of Scotland, extinct.

Forfar is the county town of Angus with a population of just over 14,000. It is the principal county town nearest to Glamis Castle, the seat of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne. It was this family of which the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was part.