Duke Shelby is a fictional character from the TV series Peaky Blinders , introduced in season 6 as Thomas “Tommy” Shelby’s illegitimate firstborn son.

Quick Scoop: Who is Duke Shelby?

  • Erasmus “Duke” Shelby is the eldest son of Tommy Shelby and a Romani woman named Zelda, making him half-brother to Charles and Ruby Shelby.
  • He grows up away from Tommy, raised by his mother among Gypsies, and only comes into Tommy’s life much later in the story.
  • After Zelda is denied a hospital bed because she is a Gypsy and dies, Duke kills the man who refused her care, showing his capacity for violence and loyalty to family.
  • He later joins the Peaky Blinders, and it is suggested he is the likely future leader of the gang as Tommy’s heir.

Role in Peaky Blinders

  • Duke appears late in the series (season 6), which many fans felt was “too rushed,” but he’s positioned as important to the Shelby legacy.
  • In a key scene, he outmaneuvers Finn Shelby and kills Billy Grade, then tells Finn he’s out of the family “by order of the Peaky Blinders,” underlining his new authority inside the gang.

Who plays Duke Shelby?

  • Duke Shelby is played by British actor Conrad Khan, who joined the show in its final season.
  • Before Peaky Blinders , Conrad Khan appeared in projects like The Huntsman: Winter’s War , Baptiste , and County Lines.

Recent / “Latest” Context

  • Since Peaky Blinders has ended as a TV series, Duke’s character is widely expected to feature in the planned Peaky Blinders movie or spin‑off stories, as hinted by fans and commentary.
  • Promotional and fan content in 2026 still highlight Duke as a key “next generation” Shelby, sometimes styling him as a powerful, almost mythic figure in Birmingham’s underworld.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.