Queen Elizabeth Gives Youngest Son Prince Edward a New Royal Title for His 55th Birthday

So cool! Prince Edward got a new royal title from his mom, Queen Elizabeth, for his 55th birthday on Sunday, March 10. Although he and his wife, Sophie, are known as the Earl and Countess of Wessex, they will now be called the Earl and Countess of Forfar when they’re in Scotland. Queen Elizabeth, 92, announced the exciting news by sharing a sweet throwback photo of herself and her son to the royal family’s official Instagram account.

“Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, is the youngest child of the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Earl supports the queen in her official duties, and carries out a busy schedule of engagements for his charities and patronages from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards to the Commonwealth Games,” the caption read. “Today, the queen has been pleased to grant the Earl of Wessex the additional title of Earl of Forfar which Their Royal Highnesses will use when in Scotland.”

Even though the queen gave Edward such a great gift for his birthday, she apparently once forgot to get her son a present on his special day when he was younger. According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, the queen had a really awkward encounter with Edward over breakfast one morning because her son was patiently waiting for her to tell him “Happy Birthday.”

“There was no card, no present, not even a birthday greeting,” Ingrid wrote in Prince Edward: A Biography. “When the prince kissed his mother goodbye, still nothing was said.” Later, a senior member of the royal household reminded her that it was Edward’s birthday because the young royal seemed a little disappointed.

But once the queen learned that it was the little prince’s birthday, she gave her son a sweet present just hours later. “If it had been Prince Edward’s 20th or his 30th, his mother would not have forgotten,” Ingrid noted in the book. We’re sure Prince Edward was able to forgive his mom as they seem so close today!