Prince Edward marks his 62nd birthday today – but in the 1990s he was once offered the chance to become King of Estonia after the collapse of the Soviet Union
From the day he was born 62 years ago, Prince Edward has likely always been aware that his chances of becoming King are virtually zero. As the youngest brother of King Charles and the youngest son of the late Queen Elizabeth, he is now 15th in line to the throne, meaning a place near the top of the line of succession is almost certainly unattainable.
However, Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, who celebrates his 62nd birthday today, was reportedly once peculiarly offered the chance to become King – but of a newly formed country back in the 1990s. This occurred back in 1994 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union when a multitude of new countries were established in Eastern Europe.
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One such nation was Estonia, and in the country’s first elections post the USSR collapse, a political party named the Independent Royalist Party of Estonia secured eight seats in the country’s parliament. The party was largely perceived as a protest group but desired for Estonia to be recognised as a monarchy, akin to Sweden or Norway.
According to the Sunday Telegraph at the time, the leader of the party reached out to the British royals asking if Edward would become their king, stating they’d be honoured if he were to accept. A letter reportedly described Edward as “perfect” and that the party admired him “enormously”. However, unsurprisingly Buckingham Palace responded that it was “a charming idea but a rather unlikely one”.
Edward is married to Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and the couple have two children – Lady Louise Windsor and James, the Earl of Wessex. On this day three years ago, on Edward’s 59th birthday, his brother the King finally honoured a commitment by the late Queen and bestowed upon him and Sophie their Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh titles.
It had been widely understood that Edward would eventually inherit the Duke of Edinburgh title following a promise made by the late Queen on his wedding day in June 1999. At the time, questions were asked when he was granted an Earldom instead of a Dukedom.
Nevertheless, it was declared at the time of the marriage that Edward would succeed his father Prince Philip as the Duke of Edinburgh with his parents’ approval after his death. The palace stated at the time: “The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of Wales have also agreed that the Prince Edward should be given the dukedom of Edinburgh in due course when the present title now held by Prince Philip eventually reverts to the Crown.”
Philip’s wish for Edward to receive the title was in acknowledgement of his son’s decades-long dedication to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the youth programme which represents one of Philip’s greatest legacies.
Meanwhile, Sophie once revealed to the Telegraph the moment she and Edward learned Philip wanted her husband to assume the title. She said: “We sat there slightly stunned. He literally came straight in and said, ‘Right. I’d like it very much if you would consider that’.”
The dukedom – which historically has been hereditary – will not, however, be inherited by the Edinburghs’ son James when Edward passes away. This sets the stage for one of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s children to potentially receive the title in the future, with Prince Louis being the most probable contender.
