Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 22:23, 28 June 2011
Prince Edward | |||||
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Earl of Wessex | |||||
The Earl of Wessex at the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, 19 June 2010 | |||||
Earl of Wessex | |||||
1st creation | James, Viscount Severn | ||||
Born | Buckingham Palace, London | 10 March 1964||||
Spouse | Sophie, Countess of Wessex | ||||
Issue | Lady Louise Windsor James, Viscount Severn | ||||
| |||||
House | House of Windsor | ||||
Father | Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | ||||
Mother | Elizabeth II |
Royal family of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms |
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Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born 10 March 1964)[2] is the third son and fourth and youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the time of his birth, he was third in the line of succession to the thrones of ten independent Sovereign States known as the Commonwealth realms; however, after the births of two children each to his two elder brothers, and an evolution of the Commonwealth, Prince Edward is now seventh in line to the thrones of 16 countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Consequently, he is also seventh in line to the positions of Head of the Commonwealth (figurehead of the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations) and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
Early life and education
Edward was born at Buckingham Palace on 10 March 1964, the fourth child and third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and fifth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Baptised on 2 May 1964 in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle[3] by the then Dean of Windsor, Robert Woods; the Prince's godparents were: Prince Richard of Gloucester (his cousin); the Duchess of Kent (his cousin by marriage, for whom Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent stood proxy); Princess George William of Hanover (his paternal aunt); the Prince of Hesse and by Rhine (his cousin); and the Earl of Snowdon (his maternal uncle).[4] As a child of the Sovereign, Edward was styled from birth as His Royal Highness and was entitled The Prince Edward.
As with his older siblings, a governess was appointed to look after the Prince and was responsible for his early education at Buckingham Palace. At the age of seven, Edward was then sent to Gibbs School before attending, in September 1972, Heatherdown Preparatory School, near Ascot. He then, as his father and elder brother had done before him, moved to Gordonstoun, in northern Scotland, and was appointed Head Boy in his last term. Edward obtained a C-grade and two D-grades at A-level,[5] and after his schooling spent a gap year abroad, working as a house tutor and junior master for two terms in September 1982 at the Wanganui Collegiate School in New Zealand.
Upon his return to Britain, Edward matriculated at Jesus College, Cambridge, to read history. His admission to Cambridge caused some controversy at the time, as his A-level grades were far below the standard normally required, "straight A-s", for entry to the university.[6] Edward graduated in 1986 with lower second class honours,[7] and, as is customary at Cambridge, proceeded Master of Arts (Cantab) in 1991, making Edward the fourth of only five members of the Royal Family in history to have obtained a university degree.
Career
On leaving university, Prince Edward joined the Royal Marines to train as an officer cadet; however, he resigned his commission in January 1987, before completing training. Edward thereafter became more involved in theatre, an activity he had enjoyed at school and university. In the late 1980s, he worked for two theatrical production companies, including Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company, where he was part of plays such as The Phantom of the Opera, Starlight Express, and Cats. While there he commissioned the 1986 musical Cricket from Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, for his mother's 60th birthday celebration. At the Really Useful Company, Edward met actress Ruthie Henshall, whom he dated for two years.
Edward's first foray into television production was the programme It's a Royal Knockout, in June 1987, in which teams sponsored by himself and other members of the Royal Family competed for charity. The media attacked the programme; it was reported that the Queen had not approved of the event and that her courtiers had advised against it.[citation needed]
In 1993, Edward formed Ardent Productions, under the name of Edward Windsor from 1995[8] and later Edward Wessex. Ardent was involved in the production of a number of documentaries and dramas,[9] but Edward was accused in the media of using his royal connections for financial gain,[10] although his activities were seemingly more kindly received in the United States.[11] A documentary on his great uncle, Edward VIII (later HRH The Duke of Windsor) in 1996[9] sold well around the globe.[12] The company reported losses for every year of its existence except one, and only then because Edward did not draw a salary.[8] An Ardent two-man film crew invaded the privacy of his nephew Prince William in September 2001 while he was studying at the University of St Andrews against industry guidelines regarding the Royals' privacy.[13] The Prince of Wales was reportedly angered by the incident.[14] In March 2002, the Prince announced that he would step down as director of production and joint managing director of Ardent[8] to concentrate on his public duties and to support the Queen during her Golden Jubilee year. Ardent Productions was voluntarily liquidated in June 2009 with assets of £40;[15] Edward had maintained a connection to the company as a non-executive director.[16] On 11 November 2010 Prince Edward attended Q3 Academy in Great Barr to formally open the £30 million building.
Marriage
The Prince's engagement to Sophie Rhys-Jones, then a Public Relations executive with her own firm, was announced on 6 January 1999.
The wedding itself took place on 19 June of the same year at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. This was a break from the weddings of Edward's older siblings, which were large, formal events at Westminster Abbey or St Paul's Cathedral. On his wedding day, the Queen conferred on Prince Edward the titles of Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn, again breaking with the tradition that the son of a sovereign is created a Duke. It was also announced at that time that the Earl of Wessex would be created Duke of Edinburgh when that dukedom, held by Edward's father since 1947, reverts to the Crown,[2][17], ie after his eldest brother Prince Charles' succession to his parents' titles, and that any children of the Earl and Countess would be styled as the children of an Earl, rather than as Princess and Royal Highness (as they would otherwise have been under the Letters Patent issued by King George V).[18] The Earl and Countess of Wessex have two children, Princess Louise and Prince James, and the family resides at Bagshot Park in Surrey.
Official duties
The Earl of Wessex, along with his wife, carries out a full schedule of royal duties on behalf of the Queen, receiving Civil List monies from the Queen of £141,000 per annum for their work in the United Kingdom,[19] and various amounts from the governments of the other realms for his work there.
The Earl has taken on many roles from his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is reducing some commitments owing to his advancing age. The Earl replaced him as President of the Commonwealth Games Federation (since 2006 its Vice-Patron) and opened the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand and the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. He has also taken over the Duke's role in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, attending Gold Award ceremonies around the world.[citation needed]
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
Royal styles of HRH the Earl of Wessex | |
---|---|
Reference style | His Royal Highness |
Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
Alternative style | Sir |
- 10 March 1964 – 19 June 1999: His Royal Highness The Prince Edward
- 19 June 1999–: His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex
The Prince's style and title in full: His Royal Highness The Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex, Viscount Severn, Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Honorary Member of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty. The Earldom of Wessex has a distinguished royal history, the Kingdom of Wessex having played the leading role in the unification of Anglo-Saxon England. The last person to hold the title Earl of Wessex was Harold Godwinson, prior to his accession to the English throne in 1066.
It has been reported by The Sunday Telegraph that Prince Edward was originally to have been titled Duke of Cambridge after his marriage. However, after watching the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, he was reportedly attracted to the title used by a character played by Colin Firth, and asked the Queen to be given the title of Earl of Wessex instead.[20]
Military ranks
- October 1986– January 1987: Officer Cadet, Royal Marines
Honours
- Appointments
10 March 1989– 2 June 2003: Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)
23 April 2006–: Royal Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (KG)
1 August 2004–: Personal Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty The Queen (AdC(P))
11 May 2005–: Honorary Member of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit (SOM)[23]
- Decorations
10 March 1977: Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
1990: New Zealand Commemorative Medal
2 June 2002: Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
7 June 2005: Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
Honorary degrees
August 1994: Honorary Degree, University of Victoria
13 October 2007: Honorary Degree, University of Prince Edward Island[24]
Honorary military appointments
Colonel-in-Chief of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
Colonel-in-Chief of the Prince Edward Island Regiment[25]
Colonel-in-Chief of the Saskatchewan Dragoons
Honorary Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police[26]
Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry
Royal Honorary Colonel of the London Regiment[27]
Royal Colonel of the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles
Honorary Air Commodore Royal Air Force Waddington
Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Honorary civic appointments
Arms
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Ancestry
Issue
Name | Birth | Marriage | Issue | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lady Louise Windsor | 8 November 2003 | |||
James, Viscount Severn | 17 December 2007[28] |
See also
References
- ^ As a titled royal, Edward holds no surname, but, when one is used, it is Mountbatten-Windsor (although he has previously used Windsor and Wessex)
- ^ a b "The Royal Family > Members of the Royal Family > TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex". Buckingham Palace. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
- ^ "Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex". The House Of Windsor. English Monarchs. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
He was baptised on 2 May 1964 at the private chapel at Windsor Castle by the Dean of Windsor and was given the names Edward Anthony Richard Louis.
- ^ Yvonne's Royalty Home Page – Royal Christenings
- ^ "The family qualifications". The Daily Telegraph. London. 16 October 2006.
- ^ "The prince with a difference". BBC News Online. 11 June 1999.
- ^ Watson, Jeremy (12 June 2005). "William enjoys a degree of success". The Scotsman. Edinburgh.
- ^ a b c Beckett, Andy (5 March 2002). "It's a royal cock-up". The Guardian. London.
- ^ a b Ardent Productions Filoography, BFI Film & TV Database
- ^ Karlin, Susan (26 September 1998). "Edward Windsor: Truly a Prince Among Producers". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Edward: No intention to offend". BBC News Online. 2 September 1999.
- ^ Summerskill, Ben (29 October 2000). "Losses double at Prince's TV firm". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "Edward's turbulent media career". BBC News Online. 27 September 2001.
- ^ Alderson, Andrew (30 September 2001). "Prince Edward to apologise to Queen and agrees to stop making royal films". The Sunday Telegraph. London.
- ^ Moore, Matthew (29 March 2010). "Prince Edward's Ardent Productions left with assets of just £40". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Young, Andrew (27 March 2010). "Prince Edward's failed TV firm turns investors' £2.2m into just £40.27". Daily Mail. London.
- ^ "A Royal Anniversary: The Earl of Wessex Turns 40". Royal Insight (March 2004). Buckingham Palace. 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
{{cite journal}}
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ignored (help) - ^ "The Royal Family > Members of the Royal Family > HRH The Earl of Wessex > Marriage and Family". Buckingham Palace. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
- ^ "The Monarchy Today > Royal Finances > Financial Arrangements of Other Members of the Royal Family". Buckingham Palace. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
- ^ Eden, Richard (12 December 2010). "Royal wedding: Prince William asks the Queen not to make him a duke". The Sunday Telegraph. London. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
- ^ "St George's Chapel > History > Orders of Chivalry". St George's Chapel. Retrieved 27 October 2008. [dead link]
- ^ The Earl of Wessex appointed GVCO, 10 March 2011 Buckingham Palace. Retrieved 20 March 2011
- ^ "Prince Edward Awarded Saskatchewan Order of Merit" (Press release). Government of Saskatchewan. 11 May 2005. Retrieved 27 October 2008.
- ^ "Prince Edward gives medals to P.E.I. soldiers". CTV. 14 October 2007. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
- ^ "Prince Edward to visit Canada". Globe and Mail. Toronto. Canadian Press. 5 September 2007.
- ^ All The Queen's Horses: fourth RCMP steed crosses Atlantic to join Royal Mews
- ^ "London Gazette". Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ^ "Edward and Sophie name their new baby James". The Daily Mail. 21 December 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
External links
- Royal.gov.uk – The Earl of Wessex
- Edward Wessex at IMDb
- Award Winner Receives Royal Treatment (2003)
- Earl of Wessex Visits Saskatchewan Regiment (2003)
- Use dmy dates from April 2011
- 1964 births
- Living people
- English Anglicans
- Princes of the United Kingdom
- Mountbatten-Windsor family
- Old Gordonstounians
- Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge
- Royal Marines officers
- British television presenters
- British television producers
- Earls of Wessex
- Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
- Knights of the Garter
- Members of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit
- People from Bagshot
- People from Westminster