Duke of Clarence is a title which has been traditionally awarded to junior members of the English and British royal families. The first three creations were in the
Peerage of England, the fourth in the
Peerage of Great Britain, and the fifth in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom.
The title was first granted to
Lionel of Antwerp, the third son of King
Edward III, in 1362. Since he died without sons, the title became extinct. The title was again created in favour of
Thomas of Lancaster, the second son of King
Henry IV. Upon his death, too, the title became extinct. The last creation in the Peerage of England was for
George Plantagenet, brother of King
Edward IV. The Duke forefited his title in 1478, after he had been convicted of treason against his brother. He allegedly met his end (at least according to
William Shakespeare) drowned in a butt of
Malmsey. A fourth creation in England was suggested and planned to take effect; the title of Duke of Clarence was going to be given to
Guilford Dudley, husband of
Lady Jane Grey, upon her coronation, as she declined to make her husband King Consort. However, she was deposed before this could take effect.
The next creation (this time with the name "
Clarence and St Andrews") was in 1789 for
Prince William, third son of King
George III. When
Prince William succeeded his brother to the throne in 1830, the dukedom merged in the crown.
The final creation ("
Clarence and Avondale") was for
Prince Albert Victor of Wales, the eldest son of
Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King
Edward VII). The Duke died of
pneumonia in 1892 and the title again became extinct.
The title also took the form of an earldom for
Queen Victoria's son
Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany and his son
Prince Charles Edward, the Clarence earldom being a subsidiary title.
The title is believed to originate from the town of
Clare, Suffolk, although it has also been associated with the fort of
Glarentza (Clarence as it was called by the Franks who built it) in the
Principality of Achaea. St Andrews and
Avondale were presumably added to associate the title with
Scotland as well.
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