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e. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, KG, GCVO, CD, ADC (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born 10 March 1964), is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and is 14th in line of succession to the British throne . Born at Buckingham Palace, Edward studied at Heatherdown School and earned his A-levels at Gordonstoun ...
10 of the Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward's sweetest PDA moments
The Earl and Countess of Wessex have been married for over 22 years, having been in a long-term relationship before they announced their engagement in January 1999. Prince Edward and Sophie married at St George's Chapel in Windsor on 19 June 1999,
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Apr 02, 2014 · Edward, Earl of Wessex is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. In 1993, Edward formed the television production company Ardent Productions. He married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999.
- About The Earl of Wessex
- The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
- The Earl and Countess of Wessex Trust
- Sport and The Arts
- Military Appointments
The Earl of Wessex is the youngest child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and a full-time working member of the Royal Family. He supports Her Majesty in her official duties – often alongside his wife The Countess of Wessex - as well as undertaking public engagements for a large number of his own charities. His work has a particular focus on the development of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, from which he has taken over many responsibilities from his father. The Earl carries out a busy schedule of engagements in support of a large number of charities. His Royal Highness is especially passionate about organisations and causes which provide opportunities to young people.
Founded by Prince Philip in 1956, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a flexible programme which helps young people to develop skills for life and work. The Earl of Wessex has been deeply committed to the organisation's work since achieving his own Gold Award in 1986. The following year, His Royal Highness became a UK Trustee of the charity and of the International Award Association, and was chair of its International Council for 17 years. Since 2015 The Earl has been Chairman of the Trustees of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation. In these roles, The Earl travels widely within the UK and overseas, attending events and presenting Gold Awards. In 1999, he established the International Special Projects Group, to broaden the reach of the Award, especially to young people considered to be at risk or marginalised in society. During 2016, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award will celebrate its 60th anniversary, with The Earl of Wessex playing a leading role. Over the past six dec...
In 2019, the Wessex Youth Trust was renamed The Earl and Countess of Wessex Trust. Having met the charity’s original objective – supporting and advancing organisations which provide opportunities for children and young people - the Trust will now broaden its charitable endeavours beyond youth focused initiatives and will focus on developing strong relationships with a selected group of charities. The Earl and Countess of Wessex founded The Wessex Youth Trust Shortly before their marriage in 1999. It offered grants and support to charities helping young people. The Trust benefited a broad cross-section of youth oriented causes, including hospitals and hospices, child protection and drug-prevention schemes, inner city drop-in centres, sex education initiatives, special educational needs libraries, sports facilities and arts groups. The Wessex Youth Trust distributed over £2.5 million to over 180 causes during its two successful decades.
As a keen sports fan, The Earl is associated with a number of official bodies. He is Patron of Paralympics GB and Vice Patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation. He also serves as Patron of Badminton Scotland, The Tennis and Rackets Association and The International Real Tennis Professionals Association. His Royal Highness is President of the Sport and Recreation Alliance. The Earl also has a strong personal interest in the Arts and is Patron of a number of organisations within this area. These include City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, London Mozart Players, Windsor Festival, Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society, Northern Ballet, National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, National Youth Orchestras of Scotland and The Orpheus Centre Trust. Whenever possible, His Royal Highness greatly enjoys attending plays and concerts.
The Earl of Wessex supports the work of the Armed Forces both in the United Kingdom and abroad, holding a total of eight Military appointments. In 2007, The Earl of Wessex became Royal Colonel of 2nd Battalion The Rifles following the reorganisation of the Infantry. He regularly visits the Battalion at their base in Northern Ireland and has visited them on several occasions while on operational duties, including in Afghanistan. His Royal Highness is Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry and The London Regiment and meets servicemen and their families whenever possible. In 2006, The Earl was appointed Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and in 2008, Honorary Air Commodore of Royal Air Force Waddington. The Earl holds three military positions in Canada, as Colonel-in-Chief of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, the Prince Edward Island Regiment and the Saskatchewan Dragoons.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, is the youngest of the Queen's four children.
- What Is Prince Edward's Full Title?
- Why Is He An Earl Not A Duke Like His Brothers?
- Will Prince Edward Become The Duke of Edinburgh?
- What Is The Earldom of Forfar?
- Who Else Has Been Earl of Wessex?
The monarch's third son has been officially known as HRH Prince Edward since his birth in 1964. However, on his wedding day to Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999, he also became the Earl of Wessex. Normally, when male children of the sovereign marry they receive a dukedom - like Prince Harry did, when he became the Duke of Sussex after walking down the aisle in 2018. The title of Earl ranks below that of Duke, but there is believed to be a good reason that Prince Edward opted out.
It caused much surprise when Prince Edward married that he wouldn't be joining his older brothers - Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall as well as Prince Andrew, Duke of York - in receiving a dukedom. However, it was decided by Her Majesty that he would instead inherit the title of Duke of Edinburgh when his father, Prince Philip, passed away. The monarch was understood to be keen to ensure her husband's dukedom didn't fall dormant in order to continue his good work, like the Duke of Edinburgh Award. According to Royal Central, Prince Edward then requested to be called Earl of Wessex, because one of his favourite films Shakespeare In Lovefeatured a character of the name. This meant that when his children were born, in 2003 and 2007 respectively, they became Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
In recent years it has appeared to be almost a certainty that the Earl of Wessex would one day inherit his father's title. The prince has been heavily involved in the DofE Award for a number of years. Discussions were once more raised about what would happen to the title when Prince Philip ultimately died, aged 99, in April 2021. In June 2021, Prince Edward described the prospect of becoming Duke of Edinburgh as "bittersweet". Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he explained: "The only way the title can come to me is after both my parents have actually passed away. It has to go back to the Crown first.” It will then be up to his older brother, Prince Charles, to pass it onto him when he becomes king. However, in the same interview, his wife, the Countess of Wessex, revealed that Prince Philip had approached them shortly after they became engaged with the belief that they should become the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh one day.
The Earl of Forfar is a Scottish title referring to Forfar, the county town of Angus in Scotland. It was first created in 1661, but became extinct in 1715. Prince Edward received the title on his 55th birthday in 2019, and uses it whenever he is in Scotland. The earl's son James - who will one day become Earl of Wessex - is set to inherit it on his father's death.
The title Earl of Essex was first used in 1019 when Godwin was given it by the Danish King Cnut the Great. When Godwin died in 1053, it was passed to his son Harold Godwinson - who would be the last Anglo-Saxon King of England, before he was killed at the Battle of Hastings by William the Conqueror. In 1066, it was then given to the new king's relation, William FitzOsbern, however when he was killed by the Count of Flanders at the Battle of Cassel in 1077 it then went dormant again. It was left unused for more than 920 years - until Prince Edward acquired it. In other royal news, we told you what Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor's nursery might look like. The Duchess of Sussex plans to give her £4,800 Cartier watch to her baby girl. And royal fans praise Prince William and Kate Middleton's message of congratulations.
