Prince Edward

[Turefu]

There’re threads about Charles, Andrew and Anne, but none about Edward. Why is that? He was in his older siblings shadow, no heir like Charles, no Olimpian like Anne and no dashing was hero like Andrew. Seen as a joke with his tv programs failure. Yet he came up as the most stable out of Queen’s children. The only one, who manage to create happy marriage, stayed away from
scandals, he did his service without holding grunge against his lower royal position. I like his wife Sophie too. I think they both deserve more credit that is given to them.

I didn't think she had a military background either.

I did giggle one day when it was commented The Queen was the only senior Royal who knew how to change a spark plug, Mechanic in the ATS!

But he was at the time. We can't rewrite history however much we might want to.

I reckon Philip did as well and if he didn't I bet he found out so he wouldn't be outdone.

He flew in the Falklands war

Because he's a bit dull? Happy marriage, gets in with the job, minimal scandal.... yea that's going to sell papers!

Edward had girlfriends before Sophie, he dated two of my friends (know them separately, different social circles).

Oh & the people I know who have worked with Sophie say she’s very good.

All the posters saying how great Sophie is, you do realise that proves that any old randomer who marries into the RF can do the job, and that all the mystique about having to be born to it and trained up from infancy etc. is a load of old cobblers?

In the Falklands - which was a big deal at the time - he served on the front line. When he came back home he was given a hero's welcome. There's footage of him being cheered by an adoring crowd, throwing his cap in the air and looking definitely dashing! He was good looking and believe it or not, very popular at the time. His decline into a nasty, grumpy, sleazy old man has been sad to see.

Yes I've heard nice things about them both too. Hardworking and down to earth, and Louise seems to have been popular with the Queen and Prince Philip. She seems nice enough on the occasions we've heard more about her, and doing things like working at the garden centre, but don't know a lot about her. They seem a close family though and supportive of the children. James has been well protected from the looks of it and not pushed in public into things that he can't handle or cope with, and they seem to be respectful of what is good for him, rather than what he might be expected to do for his age/position.

Yes twenty years before Harry and Meghan, Edward and Sophie demonstrated that you can't be half in half out. They both had to close down their businesses after it was obvious they were trading on their Royal connections. But they have spent 20 years now, heads down, as working royals and giving a lot of support to the Queen.
I've always felt empathy for Sophie as she has an ectopic pregnancy and then she and Louise nearly died with an abrupted placenta.

Indeed, in fact it seems the spouses are often better at it than the born royals. Perhaps it's because they have an element of choice.

I like to think Edward is reaping the rewards of being a bit forgotten when he was younger - from the outside he certainly seems to have a lovely stable home life, and to be well thought of now.

I wonder if he ever spoke to Harry about the difficulties of being half in/half out or did he just keep his nose out.

Sophie has a supporting roll to the Monarch not the lead part.

King George VI didn't expect to be thrown in the deep end and really he couldn't cope.

I do believe they need to be slowly introduced to being in front of people with all eyes on them. Bit like having multiple wedding days when everyone is watching 👀 you.

That is not true, although the press at the time (yes, I'm that old) printed stories about how mad Philip would be.

Infact Philip was extremely supportive of his decision to step down, as the Marines didn't suit him.

When he went to work for Andrew Lloyd Webber, everyone was saying he was the tea boy. On his first day he walked in to work carrying a box of teabags. He can laugh at himself!

There was always gossip about his sexuality, but is that really anyone else's business? As long as he and Sophie are happy (and they seem to be a strong unit), who cares?

Any old randomers have been marrying into Royalty since at least 1464 (Elizabeth Woodville). Any old randomer probably COULD do it, and do it well. The point is that these are the people who currently ARE doing it and that's why we're talking about them.

I'd pick them over Robespierre.

I seem to remember Charles putting David Linley (Lord Snowdon - Margaret's son) in charge of his charitable organisations several years ago. Presumably planning for when he was King and had less time.

Edward and Sophie are the figureheads for the D of E awards, and work very hard supporting them. DD volunteered at two events - Windsor Castle where she greeted Sophie, who was a couple of minutes late because she'd forgotten her shoes and had to go home to get them! Drove herself. At another event at Buckingham Palace, Prince Edward came over to her, and asked how she thought it was going. She was chuffed that he cared for her opinion.

I hope Charles honours his parents' wishes, and makes them D & D of Edinburgh shortly.

He was. During the Falklands conflict.

I am FAR from a royalist, but the Gloucesters and Kents* are rather under appreciated too. They ditched their planned lives (D. of Glouc. had trained to be an architect) to serve the queen, doing all the unfashionable unexciting causes. They've worked long after retirement age. The scrutiny wasn't always welcome, and the Duchess of Kent in particular has really suffered. They did so at a time when there weren't many other family members to prop up the queen and they had to tread a fine balance particularly with regard to their sex - ie there were some still who would have preferred the crown to not go to a woman. Yes they got civil list monies for doing so, at first.

The D of Gloucester is walking behind the coffin today. He is 78.

• I'm not meaning Prince Michael of Kent and his wife. They are of course, awful.

Yes, like Sir Tim Laurence. Quietly supporting Anne every step of the way.

Yes the abdication and the early death of George 6 really impacted the Queen's cousins and they stepped up and supported her for her whole life.

I hope Charles does make him Duke of Edinburgh - seems the right thing to do!

Someone's got to do it really.

Agreed!
It really is not that hard. I think commoners could do the job better as they are not brought up with the obvious sense of entitlement you see from most born into it.

I'm glad you mentioned it, @soupmaker !

I was 😦, but was a bit wary of saying similar. And I wouldn't have blamed Charles if he'd put his foot down and said "No processions for you, bro". Andrew is an utter sleaze, a liar, and a pisspoor judge of character.

I see this line pushed a lot. Big deal he gave up being an architect to be a working royal. An architect is a hard actual job. For anyone extrovert meeting people and chatting to them is much easier than a job with real responsibility.