Prince Edward has emerged as one of the busiest working members of the British royal family this year, carrying out extensive international travel and championing youth empowerment initiatives across the globe. The youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip has taken on a significantly expanded role since receiving the Duke of Edinburgh title in 2023.
The Duke’s schedule throughout 2025 has been packed with overseas tours representing King Charles III, from India and Canada to Papua New Guinea and Japan. These visits demonstrate the trust the King has placed in his younger brother to maintain diplomatic relationships and continue their late father’s legacy through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.
Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He is a full-time working member of the royal family, with a recent focus on international travel to represent King Charles III. He was granted the Dukedom of Edinburgh in 2023, a non-hereditary title, by his brother, the King.
Recent International Engagements
In February 2025, Prince Edward made a three-day visit to India, focusing on promoting the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and engaging with youth leaders. This marked the first official UK royal visit to India since King Charles’s trip in November 2019, when he was still the Prince of Wales. The Duke travelled to Mumbai and Delhi, meeting young people undertaking the award and Indian education and business leaders.
The Canada tour took place in late June and early July 2025, meeting with community leaders, celebrating Canada Day, and attending engagements with regiments of which he is Colonel-in-Chief. During the seven-day visit from 25 June to 2 July, Edward attended celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the Prince Edward Island Regiment, a unit he has served as Colonel-in-Chief since 2005.
In September 2025, he visited Papua New Guinea to represent the King at the country’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations. Prince Edward’s visit ran from 14 to 17 September and was anchored in commemorating key moments in PNG’s history and reinforcing UK-PNG relations. Also in September 2025, both the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh visited Japan, where they met with members of the Japanese royal family.
Scotland’s Highest Honour
On his 60th birthday in March 2024, Prince Edward was appointed to the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s highest honor. King Charles appointed his brother to this prestigious order alongside anthropologist Professor Dame Sue Black, distinguished lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy and Scotland’s first black professor Sir Geoff Palmer. Appointments to the order are entirely the decision of the King and do not require prime ministerial advice.
The Duke debuted the star insignia of the Order of the Thistle when he attended the Service of Dedication for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship at RFA Stirling Castle in Leith. The star of the Order is silver, with St Andrew’s saltire and clusters of rays, with a green circle bearing the motto in gold.
The Edinburgh Title and Royal Responsibilities
The Duke of Edinburgh title was conferred by King Charles III in March 2023. It is a life peerage, meaning it will not be inherited by his son. This decision reflects Charles’s preference to limit the royal family to its immediate members and avoid having numerous royal dukes.
Edward was also created Earl of Wessex in 1999 upon his marriage and received the additional title of Earl of Forfar in 2019 for use in Scotland. Buckingham Palace had announced the intention that Edward would eventually be created Duke of Edinburgh, a title then held by his father Prince Philip, once it had merged in the Crown upon the death of both his parents.
Championing Youth Development
A primary focus of Prince Edward’s work is supporting young people through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, which was founded by his father. The Duke serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation. The programme focuses on inspiring young children to develop skills, resilience and self-belief through volunteering, skill development, physical recreation and adventurous journeys.
The Award framework can be a blueprint for investing in human capital, specifically strengthening resilience, improving employability and entrepreneurship, promoting prosperity and helping the most vulnerable. In 2022 alone, the global social value of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award reached £762 million. More than 60 years after its inception, there are consistently over a million young people taking on the Award’s challenge across more than 120 countries.
Military Connections and Public Service
Prince Edward holds several military appointments in the UK and Canada. As Colonel-in-Chief of The Prince Edward Island Regiment since 2005, he participated in celebrations marking the regiment’s 150th anniversary during his Canada visit. He also serves as Colonel-in-Chief of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment and commodore-in-chief of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
During his Canadian tour, Edward visited the naval reserve unit HMCS York and CFB Trenton air base, meeting community leaders and emerging youth leaders whilst recognizing the service of public sector organisations. His military background as a trained officer has informed his understanding of service and duty throughout his royal career.
Recent Monaco Engagement
Most recently in October 2025, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh travelled to Monaco for a gala dinner at the Yacht Club de Monaco. The couple met with Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene at the Princely Palace, with the visit characterized as a gathering of “respect, friendship, and cordial discussions” between Monaco and the United Kingdom.
The gala dinner was also considered a diplomatic event which allows representatives to build networks and discuss certain matters in a casual setting. Prince Edward attended in his capacity as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, accompanied by Sophie, who serves as the global ambassador for the organization.
Family Life and Personal Details
Prince Edward is married to Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and they have two children: Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex. The couple tied the knot on 19 June 1999, and their daughter Lady Louise was born in November 2003, followed by their son James in December 2007.
Upon both of their births, Prince Edward and Sophie opted not to give their children prince and princess titles, although they can choose to receive the titles when they turn 18, according to the 1917 Letters Patent. In a 2020 interview, Sophie explained that the young royals could decide to use their royal titles when they turned 18, though she confessed that this was “highly unlikely”.
Lady Louise goes by the name of Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, whilst James is known as James, Earl of Wessex. The decision to give their children titles as the children of an Earl, rather than a prince, was intended to allow them more normal lives away from intense royal scrutiny.
Expanding Role Under King Charles
With Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, no longer a “working royal”, there has been a more high-profile role for Edward, the King’s youngest brother. At the end of 2022, Parliament fast-tracked a change in law to add Prince Edward and his sister Princess Anne to the “counsellors of state” who can act on behalf of the King.
In his earlier career, Prince Edward had worked in theatre and television production, but had increasingly focused on public duties, including taking on a number of roles from Prince Philip as he grew older. This included supporting the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and various charitable patronages connected to youth development and education.
Charitable Work and Patronages
In 2020, Edward took over the patronage of London Youth from his father who had held the position for 73 years. In February 2022, he was appointed president of the Royal Windsor Horse Show, a position previously held by Prince Philip. The Earl and Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust, managed by their private office, continues to develop sustainable relationships with a range of selected partner charities.
The trust expanded its remit beyond supporting children and young people to encompass a broader range of charitable initiatives. In July 2019, the Earl and Countess visited Forfar on their first official visit to the royal burgh since the Queen granted Prince Edward the additional title Earl of Forfar in March 2019. During that visit, he was presented with ‘Earl of Forfar’ tartan, which was designed by Forfar’s Strathmore Woollen Company to celebrate their new titles.
Looking Ahead
Prince Edward’s commitment to representing the King on international visits shows no signs of slowing down. His dedication to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and youth development continues to be a central pillar of his royal work. The non-hereditary nature of his dukedom ensures that the title will revert to the crown upon his death, allowing future monarchs flexibility in how they distribute royal titles.
As one of the hardest-working members of the royal family, Prince Edward has carved out a distinctive role that honors his father’s legacy whilst supporting his brother King Charles in maintaining the monarchy’s relevance and connection to communities across the Commonwealth and beyond. His focus on youth empowerment through non-formal education represents a modern approach to royal patronage that delivers measurable social value.
The Duke’s international travel throughout 2025 has strengthened diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and nations including India, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Japan and Monaco. These visits demonstrate the soft power of the British monarchy in fostering goodwill and maintaining historical connections with Commonwealth nations and international partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What title does Prince Edward currently hold?
Prince Edward currently holds the title of Duke of Edinburgh, which was conferred by King Charles III on his 59th birthday in March 2023. He also holds the titles Earl of Wessex and Earl of Forfar, the latter for use in Scotland. The Duke of Edinburgh title is non-hereditary and will revert to the crown upon his death.
Why don’t Prince Edward’s children have royal titles?
Prince Edward and Sophie decided that their children would not use HRH titles, despite being entitled to them. Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, are regarded as children of an Earl rather than a prince. This decision was made to give them more normal lives, though they can choose to use royal titles when they turn 18.
What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a youth development programme founded by Prince Philip in 1956. It provides activities and training programmes for young people aged 14 to 24 in the UK and overseas, focusing on volunteering, skill development, physical recreation and adventurous journeys. Prince Edward now serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the International Award Foundation.
What is the Order of the Thistle?
The Order of the Thistle is Scotland’s highest royal honour, formally established by King James VII of Scotland in 1687. King Charles appointed Prince Edward to this prestigious order on his 60th birthday in March 2024. The appointments are entirely the decision of the King and do not require prime ministerial advice.
How is Prince Edward related to King Charles III?
Prince Edward is the youngest brother of King Charles III. Both are sons of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Edward is 13th in line of succession to the throne.
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