When Lady Diana Spencer was first dating the Prince of Wales, she borrowed one of his many ancestral titles to come up with a VERY Scottish-sounding surname for her secret lover

diana and charles on their wedding day
Diana and Charles on their wedding day in July 1981 (Image: (Image: Getty))

Most people know the heir to the British throne is known as the Prince of Wales – but there is also a stack of other titles that come with this privileged and pressured position.

Prince William is also the Duke of Cornwall, the Duke of Rothesay, the Earl of Carrick, the Baron of Renfrew, the Lord of the Isles, and the Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. And the last five of these titles are all Scottish.

The title of Baron of Renfrew has been held by the Scottish heir apparent since 1404, due to the town of Renfrew’s ancient links to the royal Stewarts – Scotland’s ruling family from 1371 and the holders of the thrones of England, Ireland and Great Britain from 1606 until 1714.

Unlike the Duchy of Cornwall, the Baronage of Renfrew doesn’t come with any land or properties and it is purely a ceremonial title. However, it has come in very handy for the royals down the years.

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When Lady Diana Spencer was first in a relationship with King Charles (who was then the Prince of Wales, as well as Baron of Renfrew) she borrowed the name to keep the identity of her royal lover secret, telling friends her mystery boyfriend was called ‘Charles Renfrew’.

The story was first revealed by the late Washington Post columnist Henry Mitchell in July 1981, just a few days before the spectacular, era-defining royal wedding between Diana and Charles. Although he wrote a gardening column, he was hugely popular with readers and newspaper bosses sent him to London to cover the event.