Prince Edward is marking his 62nd birthday on March 10, and he combined royal duties with celebrations while attending the Paralympic Games in Cortina, Italy with Duchess Sophie. After once being called “Prince Brat,” the Duke of Edinburgh has become an increasingly important member of the Royal Family in recent years, especially after he took over his father, Prince Philip’s, duke title. Reflecting on Edward’s growing role, one royal expert has noted that Prince William can count on his uncle as a “steady” influence when he eventually takes the throne.
Royal journalist and author Robert Jobson told the Daily Express that with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor “permanently out of the public eye,” King Charles is lucky to have another brother he can count on.
“In Edward, The King has found a trusted, steady hand—dependable and discreet—supported by his equally grounded wife, Sophie,” Jobson said. “Together, they present a wholesome, scandal-free image that has quietly bolstered the monarchy’s relatability in modern times.”
Jobson noted that with fewer working royals to go around, King Charles “has increasingly turned to Prince Edward to shoulder the duties once shared among the younger generation of their era.”
And when Prince William becomes King, he'll need to rely on his uncle even more as the pool of full-time senior royals shrinks even more.
Edward, who shares daughter Lady Louise and son James, Earl of Wessex with the Duchess of Edinburgh, quietly carries out engagements on behalf of the Crown, such as his work with the British Paralympic Association.
“He has stepped up at a time when Charles and William need loyal, experienced support—and Edward delivers it without fuss,” Jobson said. “His decades of quiet service and his unblemished record have also positioned him as a valuable bridge between generations.”
