Earl of Forfar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Earldom of Forfar
Royal Standard of Prince Edward for use in Scotland as Earl of Forfar
Creation date	10 March 2019
Creation	Second
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	Lord Archibald Douglas
Present holder	Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
Heir apparent	James, Earl of Wessex
Remainder to	the 1st Earl's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Status	Extant
Seat(s)	Bagshot Park

The Earl of Forfar is a special title that has been given out two times in history. It's named after a town called Forfar in Angus, Scotland. This important title is currently held by Prince Edward. He is the son of the late Elizabeth II and the brother of Charles III.

History of the Forfar Title

The title of Earl of Forfar was first created in 1661. This happened in the Peerage of Scotland, which is a list of noble titles in Scotland. This first title was connected to another title, the Earldom of Ormond. Sadly, this first version of the title ended in 1715 because there were no more direct family members to inherit it.

Prince Edward's Scottish Title

The title of Earl of Forfar was created again in 2019. This time, it was part of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was given to Prince Edward on his 55th birthday. This new earldom was an extra title for him. He already had the titles of Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn from his wedding day.

Having the Earl of Forfar title gives Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, a special Scottish title to use when they are in Scotland. His older brother, Prince Andrew, Earl of Inverness, and his nephews, Prince William, Earl of Strathearn and Prince Harry, Earl of Dumbarton, all received Scottish titles when they got married. Prince Edward did not receive one at his wedding, so this new title was a nice addition.

Forfar's Royal Connections

The area known as the County of Forfar was renamed Angus in 1928. This county is home to Glamis Castle. This castle is the family home of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne. Prince Edward's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, came from this very family.

Royal Visits to Forfar

In July 2019, Prince Edward and Sophie visited the town of Forfar. This was their first official visit since the Queen gave him the title in March 2019. During their visit, they were given a special 'Earl of Forfar' tartan. Tartan is a patterned cloth, often associated with Scottish clans. A local company, the Strathmore Woollen Company, made it for them.

The new tartan uses the same pattern as the original Forfar tartan, which was designed in 2004. However, the colours were made stronger. For example, the light blue was changed to the darker St Andrew's blue, which is found on the Scottish flag. White yarns were replaced with brown to show the rich farming land around Forfar. The couple visited Forfar again in the summer of 2021.

First Earls of Forfar (1661)

The first time the title was created, it also included a smaller title: Lord Wandell and Hartside. This was also part of the Peerage of Scotland.

• Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Forfar (1653–1712): He was also the 2nd Earl of Ormond. He was the younger son of the 1st Earl of Ormond.
• Archibald Douglas, 2nd Earl of Forfar (1692–1715): He was also the 3rd Earl of Ormond. He was the only son of the first Earl. When he passed away in 1715, he had no children. This meant that both the Earldom of Forfar and the Earldom of Ormond ended.

Second Earl of Forfar (2019)

Earl	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Prince Edward House of Windsor 2019–present also: Duke of Edinburgh (2023), Earl of Wessex (1999), Viscount Severn (1999)		10 March 1964 Buckingham Palace, London son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip	19 June 1999 Sophie Rhys-Jones 2 children	– now 61 years, 104 days old

Who Will Inherit the Title?

The line of succession shows who would inherit the title next.