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As tends to be the case with all British royal marriages, there was serious speculation about which dukedom Prince Philip would receive when he married Princess Elizabeth in 1947. An early favorite was Clarence, with Edinburgh as a dark horse. (The Windsor Star, 11 Jul 1947)
The choices generally discussed were Cambridge, Clarence, Connaught, Edinburgh, Sussex, and York. This writer thought Edinburgh and Sussex were the best options, with Sussex the favorite. (The Observer, 13 Jul 1947)
By the middle of July 1947, Edinburgh had become the most seriously discussed option. The Associated Press cited "court circles" who claimed it was the front-runner. (The Vancouver Sun, 17 Jul 1947—which, coincidentally, was the same day that Camilla Shand was born in London)
Beyond choosing the dukedom, King George VI also had to consider when/how to make Philip a royal duke. Because he had renounced his Greek title, he was technically a commoner at the time of the engagement. (Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep 1947)
The official announcement of Philip's new titles (Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, Baron Greenwich) was made by BP on Nov 19, the night before the wedding. He was granted the style of His Royal Highness and made a Knight of the Garter. (The Guardian, 20 Nov 1947)
Almost 10 years later, the Queen announced that Philip had also been granted the title and style of Prince of the United Kingdom—though the public had long been calling him "Prince Philip" anyway. (The Guardian, 23 Feb 1957)
