Duke of York and Albany was a title of

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...

in the Peerage of Great Britain. The title was created three times during the 18th century and was usually given to the second son of

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

monarchs. The predecessor titles in the English and Scottish peerages were Duke of York and

Duke of Albany Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish and later the British royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover. History The Dukedom of Albany was first granted ...

History

The individual dukedoms of York and of Albany had previously each been created several times in the Peerages of England and Scotland respectively. Each had become a traditional title for the second son of the monarch and had become united (but separately awarded) in the

House of Stuart The House of Stuart, originally spelt Stewart, was a royal house of Scotland, England, Ireland and later Great Britain. The family name comes from the office of High Steward of Scotland, which had been held by the family progenitor Walter fi ...

. During the 18th century, the double dukedom of York and Albany was created three times in the Peerage of Great Britain. The title was first held by Duke Ernest Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Bishop of Osnabrück, the youngest brother of King George I. He died without issue. The second creation of the Dukedom of York and Albany was for Prince Edward, younger brother of

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

. He also died without issue, having never married. The third and last creation of the Dukedom of York and Albany was for Prince Frederick Augustus, the second son of King George III. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

for many years, and he was the original " grand old Duke of York" in the popular rhyme. He died without legitimate issues. Each time the Dukedom of York and Albany was created, it had only one occupant, with that person dying without legitimate issue.

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

granted the title ''Duke of Albany'' (single geographic designation) in 1881 to her fourth son, Prince Leopold, and the title ''Duke of York'' (single geographic designation) in 1892 to her eldest grandson (second but by then only living) Prince George.

Dukes of York and Albany

First creation, 1716–1728

Prince Ernest was the younger brother of King George I. , Prince Ernest Augustus

House of Hanover The House of Hanover (german: Haus Hannover), whose members are known as Hanoverians, is a European royal house of German origin that ruled Hanover, Great Britain, and Ireland at various times during the 17th to 20th centuries. The house or ...

1716–1728
' , Ernest August, Duke of York (1674-1728)

, 7 September 1674

Osnabrück Osnabrück (; wep, Ossenbrügge; archaic ''Osnaburg'') is a city in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population ...

son of

Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg Ernest Augustus (german: Ernst August; 20 November 1629 – 23 January 1698) was ruler of the Principality of Lüneburg from 1658 and of the Principality of Calenberg from 1679 until his death, and father of George I of Great Britain. He was app ...

and

Sophia of the Palatinate Sophia of Hanover (born Princess Sophia of the Palatinate; 14 October 1630 – 8 June 1714) was the Electress of Hanover by marriage to Elector Ernest Augustus and later the heiress presumptive to the thrones of England and Scotland (later Gre ...

, never married , 14 August 1728

aged 53 Prince Ernest died without issue.

Second creation, 1760–1767

Rather than the second son of the sovereign, Prince Edward was the second son of

Frederick, Prince of Wales Frederick, Prince of Wales, (Frederick Louis, ; 31 January 170731 March 1751), was the eldest son and heir apparent of King George II of Great Britain. He grew estranged from his parents, King George and Queen Caroline. Frederick was the fa ...

, and the younger brother of

. , Prince Edward

1760–1767' , Edward, Duke of York and Albany

, 25 March 1739

Norfolk House Norfolk House, 31 St James's Square, Westminster, was built between 1748 and 1752 as his London townhouse by Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk (1686–1777) to the design of Matthew Brettingham (1699–1769), "the Elder", and was demolishe ...

son of

and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha , never married , 17 September 1767

Prince's Palace of Monaco The Prince's Palace of Monaco ( French: ''Palais princier de Monaco'') is the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besi ...

aged 28 Prince Edward died without issue.

Third creation, 1784–1827

Prince Frederick was the second son of

. , The Prince Frederick

1784–1827' , Frederick, Duke of York and Albany by John Jackson

, 16 August 1763
St. James's Palace
son of George III of the United Kingdom and

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...

, Frederica Charlotte of Prussia
29 September 1791
No children , 5 January 1827

Rutland House Rutland House was the name of at least two London houses occupied by the Earls and Dukes of Rutland. That on Aldersgate Street was leased by playwright Sir William Davenant, who converted a room of it into a private theatre in the 1650s. That in ...

aged 63 Prince Frederick died without legitimate issue, having separated from his only wife Frederica Charlotte (with whom he had no children) but was rumoured to have fathered several illegitimate children.

Family tree

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:York and Albany 1716 establishments in Great Britain Extinct dukedoms in the Peerage of Great Britain Noble titles created in 1716 Noble titles created in 1760 Noble titles created in 1784