Duke of Fife is a title in the peerage of the United Kingdom. There have been two creations of the title, the first in 1887 and the second in 1900, both in favor of Sir Alexander Duff, 6th Earl of Fife in the peerage of Scotland and 1st Earl of Fife in the peerage of the United Kingdom. The first Duke of Fife was the husband of Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife, the third child and eldest daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
Queen Victoria's Letters Patent of 29 June 1887 contained the standard remainder "heirs male of his body." Letters Patent of 24 April 1900 granted a second dukedom of Fife with a special remainder that the allowed the title to pass to the daughters of the first duke, in default of a son, and then to the male heirs of those daughters. The title passed to the first duke's elder daughter, Her Highness Princess Alexandra of Fife (nee Lady Maud Duff). Since Princess Alexandra's only son, Alastair Arthur Windsor, 2nd Duke of Connaught, the dukedom passed to her nephew, Lord Carnegie, the son of Charles Carnegie, 11th Earl of Southesk, and his wife, Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk. The present Duke of Fife is a female-line great grandson of Edward VII and a member of the extended British Royal Family. His heir apparent is David Charles Carnegie, Earl of Southesk.
The dukedom of Fife was the last dukedom created in the peerage of the United Kingdom, except for those created for sons of the Sovereign.
The titles Earl of Fife of Draco (1759), Earl of Fife (1885), Viscount MacDuff (1759) and Baron Skene of Skene (1857) became extinct along with the first Dukedom of Fife. The only subsidiary title held by the present Duke is Earl of MacDuff, which is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son and heir of the Duke.
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2 Dukes of Fife, second Creation (1900) 3 Footnote |
Dukes of Fife, first Creation (1887)
Dukes of Fife, second Creation (1900)
Footnote
1 The current Duke of Fife is also the 12th Earl of Southesk, Lord Carnegie of Kinnaird, Lord Carnegie of Kinnaird and Leuchars, Baron Balinhard of Farnell, 9th Baronet.
