Baron of Renfrew is a dignity held by the
heir apparent to the
British throne, currently
Prince William, Duke of Rothesay.
[The Royal Family - HRH The Prince of Wales]
, ''Burke's Peerage''. It was held by the Scottish heir apparent beginning in 1404. It is closely associated with the title
Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay ( ; gd, Diùc Baile Bhòid; sco, Duik o Rothesay) is a dynastic title of the heir apparent to the British throne, currently William, Prince of Wales. William's wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, is the current Duchess of R ...
. An act of the Scottish Parliament passed in 1469 confirmed the pattern of succession.
Renfrew
Renfrew (; sco, Renfrew; gd, Rinn Friù) is a town west of Glasgow in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It is the historic county town of Renfrewshire. Called the "Cradle of the Royal Stewarts" for its early link with Scotland's former ...
, a town near
Glasgow, is sometimes called the "cradle of the royal Stewarts".
In Scotland,
barons hold feudal titles, not
peerage
A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks.
Peerages include:
Australia
* Australian peers
Belgium
* Belgi ...
s: a Scottish
lord of Parliament equates to an English or British baron. Some, however, claim that the Act of 1469 effectively elevated the Barony of Renfrew to the dignity of a peerage.
[British titles -- Baron]
, ''Burke's Peerage''. "it has sometimes been argued that the Barony of Renfrew which is one of the PRINCE OF WALES's Scottish titles such by virtue of a law of 1469 settling it on the eldest son of the King of Scots or by virtue of the union of English and Scottish crowns in 1603." Others suggest that the barony became a peerage upon the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Finally, some scholars argue that the uncertainty surrounding the text of the 1469 Act leaves the barony as only a feudal dignity, not a peerage dignity. The official position is given in ''
Hansard'' (
House of Lords – written answers) for 18 May 1999: "The Barony of Renfrew is not a peerage dignity at all; it is a feudal or minor barony of Scotland."
The title of Lord Renfrew was used by the traveling Prince of Wales, later King
Edward VII, and by
Prince Edward, Duke of Rothesay, later King Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor, when he traveled in a private capacity or when he wished to pay visits 'incognito'.
In the early stages of her relationship with the then Prince of Wales
Charles
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
,
Diana Spencer
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
gave "Charles Renfrew" to her friends as the name of the man she was dating.
See also
*
Colin Renfrew, Baron Renfrew of Kaimsthorn, known as "Lord Renfrew", a life peer whose title derives from his surname not from the barony of Renfrew
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Renfrew, Baron of
British monarchy
Baron
Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...
Charles III