The Dukedom of Cornwall was the first dukedom created in the peerage of England.

The current Duke of Cornwall is Charles, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of the current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

See also: Legendary Dukes of Cornwall

According to legend, Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall under King Uther Pendragon, rebelled against the latter's rule when the king became obsessed with Gorlois' wife Igraine. Uther killed Gorlois and took Igraine; the result of the union was the future King Arthur.

The Dukedom of Cornwall always belongs to the eldest son of the Sovereign. Cornwall was the first dukedom ever conferred in the Kingdom of England, being created for Edward, the Black Prince, the eldest son of Edward III in 1337. After Edward predeceased the King, the dukedom was recreated for his son, the future Richard II. Under a charter of 1421, the dukedom passes to the Sovereign's eldest son and heir.

If the eldest son of the Sovereign dies, his eldest son does not inherit the Dukedom. However, if the eldest son should die without children, his next brother obtains the Dukedom. Underlying these rules is the principle that only a son of the Sovereign—never a grandson, even if he is the Heir Apparent—may be Duke of Cornwall; similarly, no female may ever be Duke of Cornwall, even if she is Heiress Presumptive to the throne. It is possible for an individual to be Prince of Wales and Heir Apparent without being Duke of Cornwall. For example, King George II's heir-apparent, the future George III, was Prince of Wales, but not Duke of Cornwall (because he was the King's grandson, not the King's son).

In 1856-1857 there was a case of arbitration between the Crown and the Duchy of Cornwall in which the Officers of the Duchy successfully argued that the Duchy enjoyed many of the rights and prerogatives of a County palatine and that although the Duke was not granted Royal Jurisdiction, was considered to be quasi-sovereign within his Duchy of Cornwall. The arbitration, as instructed by the Crown, was based on legal argument and documentation, led to the Cornwall Submarine Mines Act of 1858.

In 1969-71 the Kilbrandon Report into the British constitution recommended that official sources properly refer to Cornwall as a Duchy and not merely a county. This is in recognition of its special constitutional position.

Following her marriage to The Prince of Wales, Camilla Parker Bowles uses the style 'Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall' rather than 'Princess of Wales'.

Traditionally, the Duke of Cornwall is entitled to receive certain feudal dues. The current Duke received his dues at Launceston Castle in 1973, which included a pair of white gloves, a pair of greyhounds, a pound of pepper and cumin, a pair of gilt spurs, one hundred silver shillings, a bow, a spear and firewood. The Duke of Cornwall is also entitled to the income of the Duchy's lands, which is normally used to cover the cost of his public functions. Should there be no Duke of Cornwall at any time, the income of the Duchy goes to the Crown. The Duchy includes over 570 square kilometres of land, half of which lies in Devon.

The Duke also has some rights over the territory of Cornwall, the county, and for this and other reasons there is debate as to the constitutional status of Cornwall. The High Sheriff of Cornwall is appointed by the Duke, not the monarch, in contrast to the other counties of England and Wales. The Duke has the right to the estates of all those who die without named heirs (Bona Vacantia) in the whole of Cornwall. A sturgeon caught in Cornwall is ceremonially offered to the Duke. The Duke has right of wreck on all ships wrecked on Cornish shores.

In 2003, the Duchy earned £9,943,000, a sum that was exempt from income tax. though the Prince of Wales elected to pay the tax voluntarily.

The Arms of the Duke of Cornwall are "sable fifteen bezants Or", that is, a black field bearing fifteen gold coins. A small shield bearing these arms appears on the Prince of Wales' heraldic achievement, below the main shield. This symbol is also used by Cornwall County Council to represent Cornwall.

Holders of the Dukedom of Cornwall, with the processes by which they became dukes of Cornwall and by which they ceased to hold the title:

Additional details appear in Cokayne, George Edward, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, A. Sutton, Gloucester, 1982. [orig. 13 volumes, published by The St. Catherine Press Ltd, London, England from 1910-1959; reprinted in microprint: 13 vol. in 6, Gloucester: A. Sutton, 1982 ]

*Earl of Cornwall *Cornwall *Duchy of Cornwall *Duke of Rothesay *Duchess of Cornwall *List of topics related to Cornwall

*The Duchy of Cornwall at The Prince of Wales's website *Duchy Originals the Duchy's organic produce brand *Guardian Unlimited article *Tyr Gwyr Gweryn Information on the Duchy of Cornwall *Celtic Frontier or County Boundary? Competing discourses of a late nineteenth century British border

Cornwall, Duke of