Duke of Connaught and Strathearn

"Duke of Connaught" redirects here. For ships with this name, see SS Duke of Connaught.

Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that was granted on 24 May 1874 by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to her third son, Prince Arthur.^[1] At the same time, he was also granted the subsidiary title of Earl of Sussex.

Dukedom of Connaught and Strathearn
Arms of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (version used from 1874 to 1917)
Creation date	24 May 1874
Created by	Queen Victoria
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	Prince Arthur
Last holder	Alastair Windsor
Remainder to	the 1st Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles	Earl of Sussex
Status	Extinct
Extinction date	26 April 1943

History

Memorial in Winchester Cathedral to the 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn

By tradition, members of the sovereign's family received titles associated with England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, the four Home Nations that made up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Dukedom of Connaught and Strathearn was named after one of the four provinces of Ireland, now known by its modern Irish language-based spelling of Connacht. It was seen as the title that, if available, would henceforth be awarded to the British monarch's third son. The first son is the Duke of Cornwall (in England) and Duke of Rothesay (in Scotland), and would be made Prince of Wales at some point, while the second son would often become Duke of York, if the title was available.

The title Strathearn referred to the strath (valley) of the River Earn in Scotland; the ancient title Earl/Mormaer of Strathearn died out in the 15th century.^[2]

Since the exit of the Irish Free State from the United Kingdom in 1922, titles related to locations in the Free State (and later the Republic of Ireland) have not been awarded (though Prince Edward, Prince of Wales—in 1936 briefly King Edward VIII—was made a Knight of the Order of St Patrick). However, territorial titles relating to Northern Ireland have continued to be awarded.

After Prince Arthur's death in 1942, the title was inherited by his grandson, Alastair. In the absence of any male heirs, the dukedom became extinct when Alastair died, 15 months after his grandfather.

A Canadian military regiment, The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own), is a Canadian armoured regiment in the 1st Duke's name. A British Indian Army cavalry regiment, the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse), was also named for the 1st Duke.

Dukes of Connaught and Strathearn (1874)

#	Name	Portrait	Birth	Death	Spouse	Term as Duke	Other titles	Coat of Arms
1	The Prince Arthur		1 May 1850 Buckingham Palace, London son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha	16 January 1942 at Bagshot Park, aged 91	Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia (married 13 March 1879) 3 children	1874–1942	Earl of Sussex (1874)
2	Alastair Windsor		9 August 1914 Mayfair, London son of Prince Arthur of Connaught and Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife	26 April 1943 in Ottawa, aged 28	Never married	1942–1943	Earl of Sussex (1874)
Alastair Windsor had no children and all his titles became extinct on his death.

Family trees

v t e Family tree: Dukes of Kent, Marquesses of Kent, Earls of Kent, Dukes of Kent and Strathearn, and Dukes of Connaught and Strathearn

Earl of Kent (1st creation), 1020 Godwin, Earl of Wessex c. 1001–1053 1st Earl of Kent Herleva d. 1050 Earl of Kent (2nd creation), 1067 King Harold Godwinson c. 1022–1066 Leofwine Godwinson c. 1035–1066 2nd Earl of Kent King William I c. 1028–1087 Odo of Bayeux d. 1097 Earl of Kent Earl of Kent (3rd creation), 1141 Earldom forfeit (1st creation), 1066 Earldom forfeit (2nd creation), 1088 William of Ypres c. 1090–1165 Earl of Kent Earldom forfeit (3rd creation), 1155 Earl of Kent (4th creation), 1227 Hubert de Burgh c. 1170–1243 Earl of Kent Earldom extinct (4th creation), 1243 King Edward I 1239–1307 Earl of Kent (5th creation), 1321 Edmund of Woodstock 1301–1330 1st Earl of Kent King Edward III 1312–1377 Earldom (5th creation) attainted, 1330 Earldom (5th creation) restored, 1330 Earl of Kent (6th creation), 1360 Edmund c. 1326–1331 2nd Earl of Kent Thomas Holland c. 1314–1360 1st Earl of Kent, 1st Baron Holland Joan of Kent 1326/1327–1385 Edward the Black Prince 1330–1376 Duke of Cornwall John of Gaunt 1340–1399 Duke of Lancaster John 1330–1352 3rd Earl of Kent Earldom (5th creation) extinct, 1352 Thomas Holland 1350–1397 2nd Earl of Kent, 2nd Baron Holland John Holland c. 1352–1400 Earl of Huntingdon, Duke of Exeter, 3rd Baron Holland King Richard II 1367–1400 Elizabeth of Lancaster bef. 1363–1426 Thomas Holland 1372–1400 3rd Earl of Kent Duke of Surrey Constance Holland 1387–1437 Edmund Holland 1383–1408 4th Earl of Kent, 4th Baron Holland Earldom (6th creation) extinct, 1408 Earl of Kent (7th creation), 1461 Earl of Kent (8th creation), 1465 William Neville c. 1405–1463 Earl of Kent, Baron Fauconberg jure uxoris Edmund Grey 1416–1490 1st Earl of Kent, 4th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Earldom (7th creation) extinct, 1463 George Grey c. 1460–1503 2nd Earl of Kent, 5th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Anne Woodville c. 1438–1489 Elizabeth Woodville c. 1437–1492 King Edward IV 1442–1483 Henry Grey c. 1495–1562 4th Earl of Kent, 7th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Richard Grey 1481–1524 3rd Earl of Kent, 6th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Anthony Grey Henry Grey 1520–1545 George Grey Reginald Grey d. 1573 5th Earl of Kent, 8th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Henry Grey 1541–1615 6th Earl of Kent, 9th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Charles Grey c. 1545–1623 7th Earl of Kent, 10th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Anthony Grey 1557–1643 9th Earl of Kent Henry Grey c. 1583–1639 8th Earl of Kent, 11th Baron Grey de Ruthyn Henry Grey 1594–1651 10th Earl of Kent Anthony Grey 1645–1702 11th Earl of Kent Marquess of Kent, Earl of Harold, and Viscount Goderich (1st creation), 1706 Duke of Kent (1st creation), 1710 Henry Grey 1671–1740 Duke of Kent, Marquess of Kent, Marquess Grey, 12th Earl of Kent, Baron Lucas Earldom (8th creation), Marquessate, and Dukedom of Kent, Earldom of Harold, and Viscountcy Goderich (1st creation) extinct, 1740 King George III 1738–1820 Duke of Kent and Strathearn and Earl of Dublin (2nd creation), 1799 See also: Earl of Strathearn King George IV 1762–1830 King William IV 1765–1837 Prince Edward Augustus 1767–1820 Duke of Kent and Strathearn Dukedom of Kent and Strathearn and Earldom of Dublin extinct, 1820 Queen Victoria 1819–1901 Earl of Dublin (3rd creation), 1849/1850 Earl of Kent (9th creation), 1866 Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, 1874 Albert Edward, Prince of Wales 1841–1910 Earl of Dublin, later King Edward VII Prince Alfred Ernest Albert 1844–1900 Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Earl of Kent Prince Arthur 1850–1942 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Earldom of Dublin merged in the Crown, 1901 King George V 1865–1936 Prince Arthur of Connaught 1883–1938 Duke of Kent (2nd creation), Earl of St Andrews, and Baron Downpatrick, 1934 King Edward VIII 1894–1972 King George VI 1895–1952 Prince George 1902–1942 1st Duke of Kent, 1st Earl of St Andrews, 1st Baron Downpatrick Prince Alastair Arthur 1914–1943 2nd Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Dukedom of Connaught and Strathearn extinct, 1943 Queen Elizabeth II 1926–2022 Prince Edward b. 1935 2nd Duke of Kent, 2nd Earl of St Andrews, 2nd Baron Downpatrick 7) Prince Michael of Kent b. 1942 1) George Windsor b. 1962 styled Earl of St Andrews Heir apparent to the dukedom of Kent 3) Lord Nicholas Windsor b. 1970 8) Lord Frederick Windsor b. 1979 2) Edward Windsor b. 1988 styled Lord Downpatrick 4) Albert Windsor b. 2007 5) Leopold Windsor b. 2009 6) Louis Windsor b. 2014

v t e  Family tree of Royal dukes in the United Kingdom

Includes dukes of: Albany, Albemarle, Bedford, Cambridge, Clarence, Connaught and Strathearn, Cumberland, Edinburgh, Gloucester, Gloucester and Edinburgh, Hereford, Kent, Kintyre and Lorne, Norfolk, Ross, Somerset, Sussex, Windsor, and York, but only when royally. Non-royal dukes are not included; see Royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom. Titles mandated for use by the heir apparent (Duke of Rothesay and the 1337 creation of the Duke of Cornwall) are also not included, see Princes of Wales family tree. Robert II 1316–1390 King Edward III 1312–1377 Duke of Albany (1st creation), 1398 Duke of Clarence (1st creation), 1362 Duke of York (1st creation), 1385 Robert III c. 1337–1406 Robert Stewart c. 1340–1420 1st Duke of Albany Edward the Black Prince 1330–1376 Lionel of Antwerp 1338–1368 Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt 1340–1399 Edmund of Langley 1341–1402 1st Duke of York Dukedom of Clarence (1st creation) extinct, 1368 Duke of Cornwall (2nd creation), 1376 Duke of Hereford, 1397 Duke of Gloucester (1st creation), 1385 Murdoch Stewart c. 1362–1425 2nd Duke of Albany Richard of Bordeaux 1367–1400 Duke of Cornwall, later King Richard II Henry Bolingbroke 1367–1413 Duke of Hereford, later King Henry IV Thomas of Woodstock 1355–1397 Duke of Gloucester Dukedom of Albany (1st creation) forfeit, 1425 Dukedom of Cornwall (2nd creation) merged in the crown, 1377 Dukedom of Hereford merged in the crown, 1399 Dukedom of Gloucester (1st creation) extinct, 1397 Duke of Clarence (2nd creation), 1412 Duke of Bedford (1st & 2nd creations), 1414 Duke of Gloucester (2nd creation), 1414 Duke of Albemarle (Aumale) (1st creation), 1397 Thomas of Lancaster 1387–1421 Duke of Clarence John of Lancaster 1389–1435 Duke of Bedford Surrendered dukedom and then regranted, 1433 Humphrey of Lancaster 1390–1447 Duke of Gloucester John Beaufort 1373–1410 Joan Beaufort c. 1379–1440 Edward of Norwich c. 1373–1415 Duke of Aumale, 2nd Duke of York Richard of Conisburgh 1385–1415 Dukedom of Clarence (2nd creation) extinct, 1421 Dukedom of Bedford (2nd creation) extinct, 1435 Dukedom of Gloucester (2nd creation) extinct, 1447 Dukedom of Albemarle (Aumale) (1st creation) forfeit, 1399 Duke of York (1st creation) restored, 1425 Duke of Cornwall (3rd creation), 1460 James I 1394–1437 Joan Beaufort c. 1404–1445 John Beaufort 1404–1444 Richard Neville 1400–1460 Cecily Neville 1415–1495 Richard of York 1411–1460 3rd Duke of York, Duke of Cornwall Duke of Cornwall (3rd creation) extinct, 1460 Duke of Bedford (5th creation), 1485 Duke of Clarence (3rd creation), 1461 Duke of Gloucester (3rd creation), 1461 James II 1430–1460 Jasper Tudor c. 1431–1495 Duke of Bedford Edmund Tudor c. 1430–1456 Lady Margaret Beaufort 1443–1509 John Neville c. 1431–1471 Elizabeth Woodville c. 1437–1492 Prince Edward 1442–1483 4th Duke of York, later King Edward IV George Plantagenet 1449–1478 Duke of Clarence Richard of York 1452–1485 Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard III Dukedom of Bedford (5th creation) extinct, 1495 Dukedom of York (1st creation) merged in the Crown, 1461 Dukedom of Clarence (3rd creation) forfeit, 1478 Dukedom of Gloucester (3rd creation) merged in the Crown, 1483 Duke of Albany (2nd creation), 1458 Duke of Bedford (3rd creation), 1470 Duke of York (2nd creation), 1474 Duke of Norfolk (3rd creation), 1477 Duke of Bedford (4th creation), 1478 Alexander Stewart c. 1454–1485 1st Duke of Albany James III 1451/1452–1488 George Neville 1457–1483 Duke of Bedford King Henry VII 1457–1509 Elizabeth of York 1466–1503 Richard of Shrewsbury 1473–1483 Duke of York, Duke of Norfolk George of York 1477–1479 Duke of Bedford Dukedom of Bedford (3rd creation) forfeit, 1478 Dukedom of York (2nd creation) and Dukedom of Norfolk (3rd creation) extinct, 1483 Dukedom of Bedford (4th creation) extinct, 1479 Duke of Ross (1st creation), 1488 Duke of York (3rd creation), 1494 Duke of Somerset (3rd creation), 1499 John Stewart 1482–1536 2nd Duke of Albany James Stewart 1476–1504 Duke of Ross James IV 1473–1513 Margaret Tudor 1489–1541 Prince Henry 1491–1547 Duke of York, later King Henry VIII Edmund Tudor 1499–1500 Duke of Somerset (nominated but probably not invested) Dukedom of Albany (2nd creation) extinct, 1536 Dukedom of Ross (1st creation) extinct, 1504 Dukedom of York (3rd creation) merged in the Crown, 1509 Dukedom of Somerset (3rd creation) extinct, 1500 Duke of Ross (2nd creation), 1514 James V 1512–1542 Alexander Stewart 1514–1515 Duke of Ross Duke of Albany (3rd creation), 1565 Dukedom of Ross (2nd creation) extinct, 1515 Henry Stuart 1546–1567 1st Duke of Albany Mary, Queen of Scots 1542–1587 Prince James 1566–1625 2nd Duke of Albany, later King James VI & I Dukedom of Albany (3rd creation) merged in the Crown, 1567 Duke of Albany (4th creation), 1604 Duke of York (4th creation), 1605 Duke of Kintyre and Lorne, 1602 Princess Elizabeth Stuart 1596–1662 Prince Charles 1600–1649 Duke of Albany, Duke of York, later King Charles I Robert Stuart 1602 Duke of Kintyre and Lorne Dukedom of Albany (4th creation), Dukedom of York (4th creation) merged in the Crown, 1625 Dukedom of Kintyre and Lorne extinct, 1602 Duke of York (5th creation) 1644 Duke of Albany (5th creation), 1660 Duke of Gloucester (4th creation), 1659 Sophia of Hanover 1630–1714 James Stuart 1633–1701 Duke of York, Duke of Albany, later King James II Prince Henry 1640–1660 Duke of Gloucester Dukedom of Albany (5th creation) and Dukedom of York (5th creation) merged in the Crown, 1685 Dukedom of Gloucester (4th creation) extinct, 1660 Duke of York and Albany (1st creation), 1716 Duke of Cambridge (1st creation), 1664 Duke of Kendal (1st creation), 1666 Duke of Cambridge (2nd creation), 1667 King George I 1660–1727 Ernest Augustus 1674–1728 Duke of York and Albany Charles Stuart 1660–1661 styled Duke of Cambridge James Stuart 1663–1667 Duke of Cambridge Queen Anne 1665–1714 Charles Stuart 1666–1667 designated Duke of Kendal Edgar Stuart 1667–1671 Duke of Cambridge Charles Stuart 1677 styled Duke of Cambridge Dukedom of York and Albany (1st creation) extinct, 1728 Dukedom of Cambridge (1st creation) extinct, 1667 Dukedom of Kendal (1st creation), extinct, 1667 Dukedom of Cambridge (2nd creation) extinct, 1671 Duke of Cambridge (3rd creation) Prince George 1683–1760 Duke of Cambridge, later King George II Prince William 1689–1700 styled Duke of Gloucester Dukedom of Cambridge (3rd creation) merged with the Crown, 1727 Duke of Edinburgh (1st creation), 1726 Duke of Cumberland (3rd creation), 1726 Prince Frederick Louis 1707–1751 1st Duke of Edinburgh, styled Duke of Gloucester until created Duke of Edinburgh Prince William Augustus 1721–1765 Duke of Cumberland Dukedom of Cumberland (3rd creation) extinct, 1765 Duke of York and Albany (2nd creation), 1760 Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, 1764 Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, 1766 Prince George William Frederick 1738–1820 2nd Duke of Edinburgh, later King George III Prince Edward 1739–1767 Duke of York and Albany Prince William Henry 1743–1805 1st Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh Prince Henry 1745–1790 Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn Dukedom of Edinburgh (1st creation), merged in the Crown, 1760 Dukedom of York and Albany (2nd creation) extinct, 1767 Dukedom of Gloucester and Edinburgh unused, 1805–1816 Dukedom of Cumberland and Strathearn extinct, 1790 Duke of York and Albany (3rd creation), 1784 Duke of Clarence and St Andrews, 1789 Duke of Kent and Strathearn, 1799 Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, 1799 Duke of Sussex (1st creation), 1801 Duke of Cambridge (4th creation), 1801 Prince Frederick 1763–1827 Duke of York and Albany Prince William Henry 1765–1837, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews, later King William IV Prince Edward 1767–1820 Duke of Kent and Strathearn Ernest Augustus 1771–1851 King of Hanover, 1st Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale Prince Augustus Frederick 1773–1843 Duke of Sussex Prince Adolphus 1774–1850 1st Duke of Cambridge Princess Mary 1776–1857 Prince William Frederick 1776–1834 2nd Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh Dukedom of York and Albany (3rd creation) extinct, 1827 Dukedom of Clarence and St Andrews merged in the Crown, 1830 Dukedom of Kent and Strathearn extinct, 1820 Dukedom of Sussex (1st creation) extinct, 1843 Dukedom of Gloucester and Edinburgh extinct, 1834 Queen Victoria 1819–1901 George V 1819–1878 King of Hanover, 2nd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale Prince George 1819–1904 2nd Duke of Cambridge Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge 1833–1897 Dukedom of Cambridge (4th creation) extinct, 1904 Duke of Edinburgh (2nd creation), 1866 Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, 1874 Duke of Albany (6th creation), 1881 King Edward VII 1841–1910 Prince Ernest Augustus 1845–1923 3rd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale Princess Alice 1843–1878 Prince Alfred Ernest Albert 1844–1900 Duke of Edinburgh Prince Arthur 1850–1942 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Prince Leopold 1853–1884 1st Duke of Albany Dukedom of Cumberland and Teviotdale forfeit, 1919 Dukedom of Edinburgh (2nd creation) extinct, 1900 Duke of Clarence and Avondale, 1890 Duke of York (6th creation), 1892 Prince Albert Victor 1864–1892 Duke of Clarence and Avondale George Frederick Ernest Albert 1865–1936 Duke of York, later King George V Mary of Teck 1867–1953 Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine 1863–1950 Prince Arthur of Connaught 1883–1938 Dukedom of Clarence and Avondale extinct, 1892 Dukedom of York (6th creation) merged in the Crown, 1910 Duke of Windsor, 1937 Duke of York (7th creation), 1920 Duke of Kent (2nd creation), 1934 Duke of Gloucester (5th creation), 1928 King Edward VIII 1894–1972 Later Duke of Windsor Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George 1895–1952 Duke of York, later King George VI Princess Alice of Battenberg 1885–1969 Prince George 1902–1942 1st Duke of Kent Prince Henry 1900–1974 1st Duke of Gloucester Prince Alastair Arthur 1914–1943 2nd Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Prince Charles Edward 1884–1954 2nd Duke of Albany Dukedom of Windsor extinct, 1972 Dukedom of York (7th creation) merged in the Crown, 1936 Dukedom of Connaught and Strathearn extinct, 1943 Dukedom of Albany (6th creation) forfeit, 1919 Duke of Edinburgh (3rd creation), 1947 Queen Elizabeth II 1926–2022 Prince Philip 1921–2021 1st Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward b. 1935 2nd Duke of Kent Duke of York (8th creation), 1986 Duke of Edinburgh (4th creation), 2023 King Charles III b. 1948 Prince Andrew b. 1960 Duke of York Prince Edward b. 1964 Duke of Edinburgh George Windsor b. 1962 Prince Richard b. 1944 2nd Duke of Gloucester Dukedom of Edinburgh (3rd creation) merged in the Crown, 2022 No male heirs Dukedom of Edinburgh (4th creation) is a life peerage and therefore not hereditary Heir apparent to the Dukedom of Kent Duke of Cambridge (5th creation), 2011 Duke of Sussex (2nd creation), 2018 Prince William b. 1982 Duke of Cambridge Prince Harry Duke of Sussex b. 1984 Edward Windsor b. 1988 Alexander Windsor b. 1974 Heir-apparent to the Dukedom of Gloucester Prince George of Wales b. 2013 Prince Archie of Sussex b. 2019 Heir apparent to the Dukedom of Cambridge Heir apparent to the Dukedom of Sussex

Family tree showing the interrelation of the dukedom of Connaught & Strathearn with the dukedom of Fife

Possible future creations

The Dukedom is currently vacant. While there were some speculations that it was one of the options available for Prince Harry upon his wedding with Meghan Markle, press reports have also noted that Connaught is now part of the Republic of Ireland, as well as the supposed manner in which the last Duke of Connaught and Strathearn died, thus making it unsuitable.^[3][4]

Strathearn is a subsidiary Earldom in the Dukedom of Cambridge.

See also

• Earl of Connaught (subsidiary title of the Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh)
• Connaught Place, New Delhi, the commercial centre of India's capital.
• Connaught Place, London, on the south end of Edgware Road, very close to the Marble Arch and Hyde Park.
• Taman Connaught, Kuala Lumpur
• Connaught Place (Hong Kong)
• Connaught, Ontario
• Connaught Road, Hong Kong
• Connaught Square, London
• The Connaught (hotel), London
• O'Conor Don, the ancient Gaelic Royal Family of Connacht