Eddie the earl adds Forfar to his titles

AS birthday presents go, an earldom seems pretty impressive.

But for a member of the Royal Family, perhaps it is just par for the course.

The Queen yesterday granted her youngest son, Prince Edward, an additional title to use in Scotland for his 55th birthday yesterday.

Now, the Earl of Wessex and his wife Sophie will be known as the Earl and Countess of Forfar when they are north of the border. The Royal Family also posted childhood photos and a tweet wishing him ‘a very happy birthday’.

Prince Edward, who is tenth in line to the throne, had a short-lived military career with the Royal Marines before opting for a career in entertainment. He worked alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber as a production assistant for Cats and Phantom of the Opera.

The historic Earldom of Forfar was created in 1661, but became extinct as a title in 1715 when the second earl died, leaving no heir. Forfar has a population of just over 14,000 and is situated near Glamis Castle in Angus – the late Queen Mother’s childhood home.