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He’s the youngest child of the late Queen and Prince Phillip who, for many years, lived in the shadow of his more high-profile brothers and sister.
But while his siblings have been hit by scandals and marriage break-ups, Prince Edward has quietly soldiered on with his duties, his faithful and popular wife Sophie by his side.
As the Prince celebrates his 60th birthday, we bring you 60 amazing facts about the man known in royal circles as ‘steady Eddie.’
The Queen was convinced she was having a girl so hadn't considered any boy's names
1. The late Queen Elizabeth was convinced Prince Edward would be a girl and, for that reason, had given no consideration to boy’s names prior to his birth.
2. Edward was the only child whose birth Prince Philip attended. He was reported to have been holding the Queen’s hand when their son arrived.
3. He weighed just 5 pounds 7 ounces when he was born, making him the smallest of all the Queen’s children.
4. Many were surprised that Her Majesty named her son Edward, considering the pain Edward VIII’s abdication had caused her family. However, Edward VIII was known as ‘David’ to his family and it’s far more likely that Prince Edward was named after the Queen’s cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
Edward was the smallest of the Queen's babies, weighing only 5Ibs 7oz
Edward VIII was known as ‘David’ to his family and it’s far more likely that Prince Edward was named after the Queen’s cousin, the Duke of Kent
5. He made his first public appearance when he was just 12 weeks old when, wrapped in a blanket, the Queen held him in her arms on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in 1964.
6. His first pet was a Shetland pony named Valkyrie.
7. As a boy he loved the French cartoon books Asterix, about a Gallic warrior who had amazing strength due to a magical potion.
8. Visitors to Buckingham Palace recall Edward walking around with transistor radio glued to his ear, listening to pop music – Abba being a favourite.
9. Like his brothers, Edward attended Gordonstoun School in Moray, Scotland but, unlike them, he enjoyed his experience becoming Head Boy in his final term.
10. At Gordonstoun Edward developed a love of gliding and gained his gliding wings when he was just 16.
11. He achieved nine O’levels – more than his siblings. However, there was great controversy when he secured a place at Cambridge University to read history despite only gaining two Ds and a C in his A Levels.
12. He took private flying lessons at RAF Cranwell and gained his private pilot’s licence just before his 18th birthday.
Prince Edward caused surprise when he got a place at Cambridge University with two D-grades and a C
Prince Edward in Jesus College colours on the rugby pitch
Edward took a gap year in 1982, teaching English and history at the Wanganui Collegiate School in New Zealand. He oversaw the school’s drama productions and taught the children how to play his family’s favourite parlour game – charades
At Cambridge University Edward indulged his love of theatre and joined the Light Entertainment Society
Prince Edward learned to play Real Tennis, a cross between squash, badminton and lawn tennis, once played by his Tudor ancestors
13. Way before they became fashionable, Edward took a gap year in 1982, teaching English and history at the Wanganui Collegiate School in New Zealand.
14. While on his gap year, he also oversaw the school’s drama productions and taught the children how to play his family’s favourite parlour game – charades.
15. At Cambridge University Edward indulged his love of theatre and joined the Light Entertainment Society whose other alumni include comedians John Cleese and Sandi Toksvig.
16. While at Cambridge he appeared as Governor Danforth in an amateur dramatic adaptation of Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible.
17. He also directed a children’s production called The Tale of Toothache City.
18. It was at university that Edward first developed his love of ‘real tennis’ – the original form of the game, played with a solid ball on an enclosed court.
19. Despite a bout of glandular fever, he produced the rag-week revue Glitter Ball Prizes in March 1984.
20. After leaving Cambridge with his 2:2 degree, Edward joined the Royal Marines but was only lasted just four months of the gruelling training, during which he sustained many injuries.
21. He achieved a Duke of Edinburgh Award gold medal after completing a 60-mile four-day trek in Scotland.
22. He could easily have been killed aged 23 when he was thrown from his horse at Windsor but was saved by his riding hat, which split in two on impact.
23. After putting out feelers for a job in the entertainment industry, aged 24, he was offered a part in Dr Who but was advised by royal officials to turn it down.
24. Able to laugh at himself for being dubbed the ‘teaboy’ after landing a junior role at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Company, Edward turned up for his first day with a packet of PG Tips under his arm.
25. In 1986 he commissioned Andrew Lloyd Webber to make ‘Cricket’ a musical
