What is Prince Edward’s Net Worth?
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He has a net worth of $10 million and is currently 12th in line to the throne, following his mother’s death in September 2022.
Despite being third in line for much of his life, he dropped in the succession line when his older brothers had children and grandchildren. After attending university and serving briefly in the Royal Marines, he worked in theater and television production, eventually forming his own company called Ardent Productions.
In 2002, Edward stepped down from his company to focus on full-time duties as part of the royal family.
Prince Edward’s Early Life and Education
Prince Edward was born in London’s Buckingham Palace in 1964 as the third son and youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He attended Gibbs School and Heatherdown School before going on to Gordonstoun School in Scotland, where he earned his A-levels. After a gap year teaching in New Zealand, he graduated from the University of Cambridge’s Jesus College in 1986 with a BA in history.
Prince Edward Drops Out of Royal Marines Training
Prince Edward dropped out of his Royal Marines commando course in early 1987 after completing only a third of the year-long training. This decision reportedly caused his father, Prince Philip, who was Captain General Royal Marines at the time, to become very angry and criticize his son.
Prince Edward’s Career in Entertainment
After leaving the Royal Marines, Prince Edward pursued a career in entertainment. He commissioned the 1986 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical “Cricket” for his mother’s birthday and was offered a job at Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company. He also sponsored a one-off charity event in 1987 called “The Grand Knockout Tournament” and formed his own television production company, Ardent Productions, in 1993. However, Edward faced criticism for using his royal connections for personal gain, and Ardent Productions was seen as lacking professionalism and out of touch with modern times. Edward stepped down from the company in 2002, and it was dissolved in 2009 after reporting losses in nearly every year of operation.
Prince Edward’s Philanthropic Work
Prince Edward established the Wessex Youth Trust in 1999, which is now called the Earl and Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust. The foundation’s focus is to support and advance registered charities that provide opportunities to youth around the world. Edward holds patronage with more than 70 charities and organizations, including the British Paralympic Association, the National Youth Theatre, the Commonwealth Games Federation, and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Edward has taken over many duties from his father, including chairing the International Council of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program. He has traveled around the globe to recognize the achievements of teenagers and young adults in places such as Israel, Bahrain, the Caribbean, South Africa, Chile, Sri Lanka, Ghana, and Australia, among many others.
In 2014, Edward was appointed Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He and the Countess of Wessex represented the Queen at the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s Accession to the Throne of Brunei in 2017.
Royal Honors for Prince Edward
Prince Edward has received numerous honors throughout his life as a royal. In 1977, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal at the age of 12. He received the New Zealand Commemorative Medal in 1990 and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
Edward was also honored with the Honorary Member of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan in 2005. He has been named a Royal Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, and has received the Canadian Forces’ Decoration.
Prince Edward’s Marriage and Family
Prince Edward met PR executive Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1994 and announced their engagement five years later. They were married at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, in contrast to his older brothers’ large formal events at St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. The couple has two children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James Mountbatten-Windsor, and resides at Bagshot Park in Surrey. Their office and official London residence are located at Buckingham Palace.
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