Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh

Biography

Prince Edward was born at Buckingham Palace on 10 March 1964, the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He was taught by a governess and at Gibbs School in Kensington, entered Heatherdown School near Ascot in 1972 and finished his schooling at Gordonstoun, where he was head boy. In a gap year he worked as a house tutor at Wanganui Collegiate School in New Zealand, and he then read history at Jesus College, Cambridge, graduating in 1986.

After graduating he joined the Royal Marines but left the commando course in January 1987. Turning to entertainment, he worked as a production assistant at Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company on musicals including The Phantom of the Opera, and in 1987 organised the much-criticised charity television programme known as It's a Royal Knockout. In 1993 he founded the television company Ardent Productions, which made documentaries and dramas but lost money in almost every year and drew criticism for trading on royal connections.

He married Sophie Rhys-Jones at St George's Chapel, Windsor, on 19 June 1999 and was created Earl of Wessex that day; they have two children, Louise and James. In 2002 he stepped down from Ardent to work full time as a member of the royal family. He took over many of his father's duties, above all in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, of which he has long been a trustee, and in the Commonwealth Games Federation. He holds patronages of more than 70 organisations, many in the arts and sport.

He was additionally made Earl of Forfar in 2019. On his 59th birthday in 2023 his brother Charles III created him Duke of Edinburgh for life, the title once held by their father. In 2024 he served as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.