CHESTER 179 XXIX. 1 841. H.R.H. Albert Edward, Prince of the United King- dom of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Cornwall, also Duke of Rothesay [S.], liifc., s. and h. ap. of Queen Victoria, by H.R.H. Albert, Prince Consort, Prince of Saxe Coburo; and Gotha. He was b. 9 Nov. 1841, and, within a month thereof, on 8 Dec. 1841, was (previous to his baptism) cr. Prince of Wales and EARL OF CHESTER,(^) with rem. to his heirs, Kings of the United Kingdom. He was subsequently, 17 Jan. 1850, cr. EARL OF DUBLIN, with a similar rem. On 11 Jan. 1901 he ascended the throne as Edward VII, when all his honours merged in the Crown. See fuller particulars under " Corn- wall," Dukedom of, 1841. (*) Since the reign of Henry III (excepting for the short period, 1264-65, when the rebel Baron, Simon de Montfort held it) the Earldom of Chester, which, in 1254, was granted to Edward (afterwards Edward I), s. and h. ap. of that King, has never been conferred on any save the heir apparent of the Crown. The Principality of Wales, first united to England in 1284 by Edward I, was conferred, together with the Earldom of Chester, in 1301, on Edward his s. and h. ap. It was for the 2nd time conferred, in 1343, on Edward, Duke of Cornwall (so cr. 1337), s. and h. ap. of Edward III, but, in this case, some ten years after the said Prince had been (in 1333) cr. Earl of Chester. It was for the 3rd time conferred, in 1376, on Richard, grandson and h. ap. of Edward III, the grant being, as in the first instance, together with the Earldom of Chester, and, in this instance, with the Dukedom of Cornwall also. For the 4th time, it was conferred, in 1399, on Henry, s. and h. ap. of Henry IV, such grant being, as in the previous case, together with the Earldom of Chester and the Dukedom of Cornwall. Ever since that time the Principality of Wales has been conferred, together with the Earldom of Chester, but independently of the Dukedom of Cornwall (though in most cases all three dignities have been held together), on the heir apparent* to the Crown. There are, however, six cases in which the Duke of Cornwall, the heir apparent to the Crown, has not obtained the dignity of Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, f/z. (i) Henry, afterwards Henry VI, who became King at the age of 9 months. (2 and 3) Two sons of Henry VllI, who died as infants, 15 10 and 15 14 respectively. (4) Edward, afterwards Edward VI, who became King when 9 years of age. (5) Charles, ist s. of Charles I, who died an infant 1628. (6) James Francis, son of James II, born (but 6 months before his father's "abdication"), in 1688. Each one of these, having been the son of a King, will be noticed among the Dukes of Cornwall. On the other hand, there has been one instance (since the creation of the Duke- dom in 1337), where the heir apparent, though created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, has not been Duke of Cornwall. It is that (1751 to 1760) of George, after- wards George III, who, not being filius Regis, did not acquire that Dukedom by birthright. No less than six Princes of Wales (Earls of Chester) have died in their father's lifetime, viz. (i) Edward, s. of Edward III, d. 1376. (2) Edward, s. of Henry VI, d. 147 1. (3) Edward, s. of Richard III, d. 1484. (4) Arthur, s. of Henry VII, d. 1502. (5) Henry, s. of James I, d. 1612. (6) Frederick, s. of George II, d. 1751.
- Richard, Duke of York (father of Edward IV), who in 1460 had been declared
heir apparent to the Crown, was never "Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester," though he was granted that Principality, Duchy, and County.
