Duke of Rothesay

The title of duke of Rothesay was the official title used by the heir apparent with the throne to the Royaume to Scotland. Since the Act of Union (1707), the throne of Scotland is attached to the Trône of England, thus forming the Royaume of Great Britain (which became later the the United Kingdom following the fastening of the Royaume of Ireland in 1800).

The title is since prisoner by the heir apparents with the throne to the the United Kingdom. It is used when the latter are on the Scottish territory, whereas they use Duc of Cornouailles (if they hold it) and Prince de Galles elsewhere.

The duke of Rothesay holds other titles Scot, of which that of Count de Carrick, baron de Renfrew, Seigneur of the Islands and Prince and large steward of Scotland.

The title holds its name of Rothesay on the island of Butts, Argyll and Bute, but is not dependant with some entity or land property that it is, contrary to the Duché of Cornouailles.

History of the title

David Stuart, the son of Robert III of Scotland, was the first to hold this title with its creation in 1398. In its death, his/her brother Jacques, later Jacques Ier, received the title. Thereafter, the heir apparents with the Scottish crown always held it. An act of the Scottish Parliament of 1469 confirmed this irrefutable fact.

Legal base

This act of the Parliament of 1469, specifies that the prince first-born of the king of the Scot should hold this title. If this one dies before the king, then it goes to the following heir apparent.

Although the act explicitly mentions wire of a king, the oldest sons of the queens carried it. The prince term excludes however the girls.

This act excludes a priori that a grandson of sovereign, although heir apparent, can hold this title.

List dukes of Rothesay

List holders of the title of duke of Rothesay, with the circumstances in which they took possession of it and that they lost it.

See too

Duke of Cornouailles

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