The Earl of Wessex is an Earl in the English and later British nobility. The title has been created twice:

First creation

The title of Earl of Wessex was conferred on Godwin by Canute the Great. The Earldom had previously been reserved by the king. The Earldom passed to Godwin's son, Harold II of England, who died in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings. The Earldom was not continued.

Shakespeare in Love

The 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, featured an entirely fictionally villainous Earl of Wessex played by Colin Firth. He marries Viola de Lesseps (played by Gwyneth Paltrow), who loves William Shakespeare and they move to the American Colonies.

Second creation

In 1999 Queen Elizabeth's youngest son, Prince Edward, married Sophie Rhys-Jones. Younger sons of the monarch are normally given a peerage at the time of their marriage, Duke of Cambridge being the favourite. However, given the Prince's theatrical links and the Royal Family's policy of "slimming down" their size — and Edward being seventh in the order of succession to the British throne, the Earldom of Wessex was recreated, Earl being a lesser title than Duke. This was despite there being more senior titles covering the area concerned, such as Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Devonshire. It is expected that the Edward, Earl of Wessex may be made Edward, Duke of Edinburgh on the death of his father Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

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