The Royal Once Known as "Prince Brat" Is Now "On Track" to Become "National Treasure"
He's come a long way.
Royal reputations can certainly change over the years, whether it's due to scandal, media narratives or personal choices (take Prince Andrew). Many members of the Royal Family have undergone dramatic shifts in how they're perceived by the public, with Prince Edward—who is celebrating his 61st birthday on Monday, March 10—standing as a prime example. In the late '80s his popularity could hardly have been worse, thanks to the disastrous TV show It's a Royal Knockout. But after a royal reinvention (and some help from his wife, Sophie), the Duke of Edinburgh is one of the most popular members of the family today.
Although he once struggled to find his place, Prince Edward is now recognized as one of the monarchy's most dependable and hard-working figures, having quietly taken on an increasing presence as he supports his brother, King Charles. In fact, it's almost hard to believe that the same Edward who cuts cakes with dorky dad flair and supports a range of charities was called "Prince Brat" by Daily Mail columnist Lynda Lee-Potter 38 years ago.
But in 1987, theater-loving Edward decided to pull together a game show called It's a Royal Knockout that entailed himself, Princess Anne, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew dressing up in costume as celebrities participated in medieval-style tournaments. The show, to put it mildly, was not a success, leaving the Queen Mother "incensed," per the Daily Mail. The outlet claimed that she told "her grandchildren she'd spent years building the reputation of the monarchy with The King, only to have them try to destroy it in one evening."
The resulting press conference Edward held only made the situation worse. The prince stormed out after reporters didn't give an enthusiastic response to the show, with Lee-Potter calling the then-23-year-old prince "pompous" and a "spiteful, angry child" in her story titled "It's Time Prince Brat Learned Real Manners."
Prince Edward and his wife, Duchess Sophie—seen during a February tour to Nepal—carry out official duties on behalf of The King.
Prince Edward (right) is pictured talking to Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew before taping It's a Royal Knockout in 1987.
Edward and Sophie share two children, James, the Earl of Wessex, and Lady Louise.
But the damaging mistakes didn't end there, with a cameraman from Prince Edward's TV production company, Ardent Productions, breaking a media privacy agreement and filming Prince William while he was attending the University of St. Andrews. Edward claimed this was done without his consent, but the resulting headlines made for another PR disaster.
However, after giving up commercial pursuits to become a full-time working royal, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's youngest child has gone from strength to strength. His marriage to Duchess Sophie is often praised as one of the strongest partnerships in the Royal Family, and King Charles honored Edward with their father's title, the Duke of Edinburgh, on the occasion of the prince's 59th birthday. Prince Edward is also a proud dad, sharing children Lady Louise, 21, and James, 17, with Duchess Sophie.
Royal historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop pointed out in a recent Channel 5 documentary (via the Daily Mail) that decades after his Royal Knockout disaster, hard-working Prince Edward is "almost on track to becoming something of a national treasure." His popularity has gone up so exponentially that Edward is now ranked as the sixth most popular member of the family, with his public approval rating rising from 35 percent in 2019 to 53 percent in a February 2025 YouGov poll.
