Honour and Title of a Duke what does it mean?

The title and honour  of a Duke, is the highest rank in the British System of Peerage, derived from the Latin ‘Dux’ meaning leader. We know of the Duke of Normandy ( a french title) but actually it was not until later that Edward III extended the Peerage and first conferred the tile on the Prince of Wales, as Duke of Cornwall in 1337. The current Price of Wales is of course the current Duke of Cornwall.

The rank of Duke was originally exclusive to the Princes of the Blood Royal until Richard II decided to extend its use. The honour was rarely conferred by British Monarchs until after the reign of Elizabeth I. Rarely are Dukes created that are not of the Royal Blood. An example would be the 1st Duke of Wellington who was elevated for exceptional service to the highest rank of the peerage having triumphed in the Napoleonic Wars and at the Battle of Waterloo, contributed extensively to as well in public service in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. So you get the idea new Dukes are rarely created, if at all during the reign of a Monarch. An example in the current reign would be the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) where a traditional Dukedom has been conferred on William as his father is already Duke of Cornwall. The Monarchs brothers are most often bestowed as Dukes of York, Gloucester and Kent, as is currently the case with the Queen’s closest relatives and her own son as Duke of York.