Meghan Markle is made first ever Duchess of Sussex

Meghan Markle is made first ever Duchess of Sussex



Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will become the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they get married today. 



The Queen has gifted the titles to her grandson and his bride-to-be as they prepare to walk down the aisle of St George's Chapel in Windsor. 



The royal groom's dukedom is the highest rank in the British peerage and marks his marriage to the former US actress.



She will become the first ever Duchess of Sussex later on today as her new husband is made the first Duke of the county in 175 years and the second in history.



American former actress Meghan will now become Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex.

Harry will also receive Scottish and Northern Irish titles, becoming the Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel, making Meghan the Countess of Dumbarton and Baroness Kilkeel.



All royal titles are given by the Queen and it was up to the monarch to choose which one to bestow on her grandson and his new wife.



Buckingham Palace said: 'The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince Henry of Wales.



'His titles will be Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel. Prince Harry thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex, and Ms Meghan Markle on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.'



Harry's thoughts on the title will also have been taken into account by the royal matriarch in a private discussion between the Prince and his grandmother.



Tradition dictates that royal men receive a title on their wedding - and often more than one.





Had Harry not wanted to accept a title, Meghan would have become HRH Princess Henry of Wales because she is not a princess in her own right.



The announcement from the palace comes just hours before Harry and his bride wed in Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel in front of a congregation of 600 and a television audience of millions.



Political figures and residents of Sussex are elated at the news and took to Twitter to express their joy.



Nicholas Soames, MP for Mid Sussex, wrote: 'Great news Prince Harry created Duke of Sussex Mid Sussex will be delighted to welcome them on their first visit.'



MP for Lewes Maria Caulfield posted: 'Sussex is glowing in sunshine today. So excited that we have Harry and Meghan as our Duke and Duchess of Sussex . Congrats to them on their royal wedding.'



And Gillian Keegan, the MP for Chichester, wrote: Perfect day for the Royal Wedding Wishing Harry and Meghan the most wonderful wedding day with family and friends and absolutely delighted they will be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Love a royal wedding.'



Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, added that his constituency's planned royal wedding party would be buoyed by the news.





West Sussex is a beautiful part of the country and it's wonderful that it has been recognised with a new royal association and we look forward to the day when we may add our congratulations to them in person.'





The first Duke of Sussex was Prince Augustus Frederick, the sixth son of King George III. He died in 1843, when the title became extinct. 



The eccentric royal's two marriages were deemed illegal and he was known for his fine singing voice.



The title duke comes from the Latin 'Dux', meaning 'a leader'.



The Queen is also the Duke of Lancaster, while the Prince of Wales is the Duke of Cornwall.



The title of the Earl of Dumbarton has not been used since 1749.



Harry will be the third Earl of Dumbarton in history. Dumbarton is on the north bank of the River Clyde to the west of Glasgow. He is the first Baron Kilkeel.



Kilkeel has never previously been granted as a title. It is a small town, with a fishing fleet, on the coast of County Down, below the Mourne Mountains.



The first Duke of Sussex, Prince Augustus Frederick, was musically gifted, had a fine singing voice, and amassed a huge library, a variety of singing birds and a large number of clocks.



Suffering from asthma, George III's sixth son was deemed too delicate to join the military - unlike Harry, who had a 10-year stint in the armed forces.



Augustus was sent abroad and married Lady Augusta Murray - whom he called 'Goosy' - in secret in Rome in 1793.



But the marriage was declared void by George III, who had not given his approval.





It was later annulled on the grounds that it contravened the Royal Marriages Act 1772. The prince became the Duke of Sussex in 1801.



But Lady Augusta, from whom he separated the same year, did not become the Duchess of Sussex.



She called herself princess and demanded a peerage, but never received one.



The duke's progressive political views - such as supporting the abolition of the slave trade, Catholic emancipation and political reform - sparked a rift between him and his father and brother, the Prince Regent.



The duke's second marriage was to his former mistress Lady Cecilia Buggin, who was also known as Lady Cecilia Underwood.