First Gentleman

Precedence and protocol were a constant, carking care to Queen Victoria's stiffly sensitive and none-too-popular Prince Albert, who complained that he was "only a husband and not the master in the house." His proper rank was not finally settled until four years before he died, when Parliament at last made him officially Prince Consort. Easygoing Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is better liked by his wife's subjects and less bothered by form. Nonetheless, next June's Coronation is less than nine months away, and he needed to be put in his proper place. Last week Queen Elizabeth declared in a royal warrant that "His Royal Highness, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh . . . shall henceforth upon all occasions and in all Meetings except where otherwise provided by Act of Parliament,* have, hold and enjoy Place, Pre-eminence and Precedence next to Her Majesty."

*One such exception: the House of Lords, where Philip will still rank below the other Royal Dukes, Cornwall (his son), Gloucester, Windsor and Kent.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.