Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward, the Queen’s youngest son, have been married for 20 years. After the wedding, which took place at St Georgie’s Chapel in Windsor in 1999, Sophie Rhys-Jones became known as Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, while Prince Edward was created Earl of Wessex, with the subsidiary title of Viscount Severn.

But the given titles were not originally the Queen’s plan for her youngest son and his wife.

The monarch had intended to give Prince Edward the title “Duke of Cambridge” when he married Sophie.

But Edward requested the lesser title Earl of Wessex instead, and his mother granted him this.

The Cambridge dukedom was eventually bestowed on Prince William when he married Kate Middleton in 2011.

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According to the BBC “it is thought this decision was made to avoid some of the burdens of royal titles.”

When the monarch’s sons marry it’s traditional they receive a dukedom on their wedding day.

An example of this is when Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson in 1986.

The Queen recreated her father’s old title, Duke of York, for him.

Sophie and Edward’s two children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn have also been given lesser titles.

The couple quickly decided to give their children “courtesy” titles as sons or daughters of an Earl, rather than the style prince or princess.

Countess and Earl titles are the third ranks in the royal peerage.

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A duchess is a woman who is together with the duke, and is the highest rank below the monarch.

The title is given after marriage and duchesses are also addressed as Her Royal Highness.

The similarity’s between duchess and countess is that both have ranks in the peerage and both have names by which they are addressed.

The difference is that a duchess is a step higher on the rank below the monarch, with countess being the third rank in the peerage.

Both duchess and countess are one of the noblest titles below the Queen.

Those bestowed with these titles play a huge role in charity work and community development despite the differences.

The lowest rank of the peerage system is baroness, and this can be hereditary or given out.

The title has origins in the English feudal system and is a rank of nobility and title of honour.

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