BREAKING: Earl of Wessex CREATED with EARLdom OF FORFAR on 55th Birthday (10/03/2019)

Yesterday the fourth & youngest child of the British Queen & her consort, turned 55 years old. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, is the third son of Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He was born on March 10, 1964, and is 15 years younger than his eldest sibling, Charles, Prince of Wales.

On the ocassion of her son's birthday, the Queen has granted him a new royal title, his first one in Scotland. He will be here known as the Earl of Forfar. His wife, Sophie (Countess of Wessex), will be subsequently styled Countess of Forfar (while in Scotland).

The earldom of Forfar was first created in 1661, but become extinct in 1715, after just two occupants. It comprises a part of the Scottish peerage, in the country town of Agnus with ~14,000 of population.

Royal standard of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex & Forfar

It includes Glamis Castle, property of Edward's maternal grandmother's (Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother's) family.

Prince Edward is the only of Queen Elizabeth's male children, not to receive a Dukedom upon his marriage (1999). He was instead the first English Prince(-by-blood), taking an Earldom (instead of a Duchy) since the Tudor dynasty (1485-1603).

Prince Edward (centre front) as a child with his parents & siblings

The Earl of Wessex (at 50) with his wife & children in 2014

His two children (Lady Louise Windsor - b. 2003, & James, Viscount Severn - b. 2007), are also styled as an Earl's children & not with the status of Royal Highness & Prince/ess of the United Kingdom they are entitled to.

Edward is expected to succeed his father as Duke of Edinburgh posthumously. However the titles' succession is a complicated matter, and if his elder brother is on the throne at the time of their father's death, the duchy of Edinburgh could merge with the crown.

Although if the titles are passed over as planned (no matter whether the present Queen will be on the throne or not), Edward's son James will succeed him as Earl of Wessex by courtesy.

The (current) Earl of Wessex is a full-working member of the British Royal family, undertaking numerous Scottish charitable, cultural, sporting & educational organisations. Following his father's retirement (in 2017) he took over much of his duties as a Trustee in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.

Further links of information:
https://www.royal.uk/title-earl-wessex
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Edward,_Earl_of_Wessex
 http://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/wessexes/the-queen-grants-the-earl-of-wessex-the-additional-title-of-earl-of-forfar-117403
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_of_Forfar
http://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/wessexes/why-is-prince-edward-an-earl-not-a-duke-2-117413.