Edward er dronning Elizabeth IIs fjerde barn, og yngre bror av prins Charles. I 1999 giftet han seg med Sophie Rhys-Jones, som etter giftermålet fikk tittelen grevinne av Wessex. Prins Edward ble jarl av Wessex og viscount av Severn.
Prinsen er svært interessert i teater og film. Etter sin militære utdanning jobbet han blant annet for Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber. I 1993 dannet han sitt eget tv-produksjonsselskap, Ardent Productions Limited, som blant annet har produsert dokumentarfilmer.
Våren 2001 stormet det kraftig rundt grevinnen av Wessex, som arbeidet som PR-agent, etter at et lydbånd av det hun trodde var en konfidensiell samtale ble lekket til pressen.
Den unge PR-agenten ble lurt opp i stry av News of The Worlds beryktede <undercover>-reporter som utga seg for å være en potensiell klient.I samtalen kom hun med krasse karakteristikker blant annet av statsminister Tony Blair.
Paret oppga tidligere i år sine profesjonelle karriérer, og vier nå tiden til offentlige oppgaver.
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Background
The Earl of Wessex is the third son and youngest child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. He was born on 10 March 1964 and christened Edward Antony Richard Louis at Buckingham Palace. He was known as Prince Edward until his marriage, when he was created The Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn.
Prince Edward was educated at Heatherdown Preparatory School and followed his father and brothers to Gordonstoun School in Scotland. At Jesus College, Cambridge, he studied history, graduating as a Bachelor of Arts in 1986. After spending three years as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Marines, Prince Edward moved into theatre. In 1993, Prince Edward formed Ardent Productions Limited, a television production company, of which he is the Director of Production.
Marriage
Prince Edward and Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones were engaged on 6 January 1999. They were married on 19 June 1999 in St George's Chapel, Windsor. Miss Rhys-Jones is the only daughter of Mr and Mrs Christopher Rhys-Jones. Upon marriage, Prince Edward was created The Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn, to be known as HRH The Earl of Wessex. Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones is now known as HRH The Countess of Wessex.
It was also decided, with the couple's agreement, that any children they might have should not be given the style His or Her Royal Highness, but would have courtesy titles as sons or daughters of an earl.
Honours
In March 1989, The Queen appointed Prince Edward a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
Kilde:
http://home-2.12move.nl/~sh829487/royal/edward.htm