Why does the UK have a Prince of Wales but no Prince of Scotland? The answer is rooted in medieval conquest, political union and centuries of shifting royal power.

To understand the titles the Royal Family uses today, we need to look back at how England’s relationship with Wales and Scotland took very different paths across the course of history.

The origins of the Prince of Wales title

In the UK, the heir to the throne is known as the Prince or Princess of Wales.

To look into this in more detail, we need to look at why we have a Prince of Wales in the first place – because that explains why we don’t have a Prince of Scotland.

When King Edward I defeated the Welsh in the latter part of the 13th century, Wales lost its independence and was thereafter ruled by the English crown. While it wasn’t legally part of England, this was the battle that brought Wales under English control and governance.

Following this battle, he bestowed the title of Prince of Wales to his son and heir in 1301. This was an act solidifying English rule over the principality, with his son, the future Edward II, becoming the first English Prince of Wales. Ever since then, it has generally been a title granted by the monarch to their eldest son, the heir apparent.

Why Scotland never had a ‘Prince of Scotland’

There is no Prince of Scotland, because Scotland was a separate kingdom that England didn’t conquer – so there was no need to grant the title in the same way. Indeed, there were several periods of conquest between the two countries, but England ultimately failed to assert control.

Unlike Wales, Scotland maintained its sovereignty and independence. Instead, there was a union of the crowns in 1603, when James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne, and Scotland later united with England in 1707 to form the United Kingdom – a merger between the two kingdoms through an act of the Scottish and English Parliaments.

The heir to the British throne does hold several historic Scottish titles, including Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. However, these are not equivalent to a ‘Prince of Scotland’ title created by conquest, as took place in Wales.

Is the Prince of Wales also the Prince of Scotland?

In short, yes. The title of Prince and Great Steward of Scotland is one given to the heir apparent to the British throne, meaning the current holder is Prince William. Prior to Scotland’s political union with England in 1707, this title was held by the heir apparent to the Scottish throne.

In the same way, the British monarch is also known as the King of Scots, a title that continues the lineage of the Scottish monarchy.

Find out why there has never been a King of Wales here.

The separate Scottish titles of the Royal Family

Because Scotland was a separate kingdom until the Acts of the Union in 1707, the nation maintains a distinct system of nobility to honour its history. As a result, the members of the Royal Family have additional Scottish titles.

The Prince of Wales also carries the title of the Duke of Rothesay, as well as a tranche of other Scottish titles, including the Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

Top image: Prince William, Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay and Catherine, Princess of Wales, known as the Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, in Tobermory, Scotland (credit: Getty Images)