Synod: Prince Edward reads message from Queen

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Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall has been appointed as The National Theatre’s new royal patron, it was announced last week. Camilla takes over from Meghan Markle, who gave up her patronages when she and her husband Prince Harry stepped down from their roles as senior working royals. This is Camilla’s third theatre patronage; she is also a patron of the Theatre Royal in Bath and the Unicorn Theatre.

However, one royal commentator believes the National Theatre patronage should have gone to another member of the Royal Family.

Co-host of the Royally Obsessed podcast, Roberta Fiorito believes the patronage should have gone to Prince Edward, recalling the Earl of Wessex’s history with the theatre.

She told Thursday’s episode: “I feel like it should have gone to Prince Edward.

“He left the Royal Marines for a career in theatre. He left it because he was unsure that that was his life calling and he actually did do a lot with the theatre community — he was an amateur actor for a lot of his life.”

The Earl is an avid fan of theatre and film, and it has been reported that the prince took the Wessex title on account of the Earl of Wessex character in the 1998 romantic period-drama, ‘Shakespeare in Love’.

Earlier this month, Edward joined ‘Bridgerton’ star Regé-Jean Page and Gone Girl actress Rosamund Pike at the ‘Nostalgic Fantastic’ Fundraising Gala for the National Youth Theatre, of which he is royal patron.

Ms Fiorito suggested that this move, alongside rumours that Edward may not take on the Duke of Edinburgh title, may be a sign of Prince Charles’ plan for a slimmed down monarchy already being put in motion.

She said: “There’s also this talk, probably just rumours, about him not getting the Duke of Edinburgh title when Charles becomes king, that he might not give it to him, so it feels like Charles is already slimming down the monarchy.”

Since Prince Philip’s death last year, the Duke of Edinburgh title has belonged to Charles as his eldest son.

Once Charles ascends the throne, the title will be returned to the Crown meaning it will be up to the prince to appoint the new Duke of Edinburgh.

For several years, it was thought Edward would one day be given his father’s title.

The father-son duo worked closely on the late Duke’s flagship Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

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However, it was reported last year that Charles may not give the title to his brother.

A source told The Sunday Times: “The prince is the Duke of Edinburgh as it stands, and it is up to him what happens to the title. It will not go to Edward.”

Another source close to the prince, said: “Edinburgh won’t go to them [the Wessexes] as far as the prince is concerned.”

When Prince Edward married Sophie, Countess of Wessex in 1999, Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales have also agreed that Prince Edward should be given the Dukedom of Edinburgh in due course, when the present title held now by Prince Philip eventually reverts to the Crown.”

Prince Philip is said to have personally asked Edward to take on the title.

In an interview in June last year, Prince Edward told the BBC: “It was fine in theory, ages ago when it was sort of a pipe dream of my father’s… and of course it will depend on whether or not the Prince of Wales, when he becomes king, whether he’ll do that, so we’ll wait and see.”

It has long been said the Prince of Wales has major plans to shake-up the Royal Family once he ascends the throne.

What exactly Charles envisages for a slimmed-down monarchy is unclear, but it could mean fewer royals serving the crown officially.

Currently, there are eight full-time working royals: the Queen, Charles, Camilla, Princess Anne, Edward, Sophie, Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

The Daily Telegraph’s associate editor Camilla Tominey has claimed there were already “too few royals to go around” since the departure of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince Andrew and Prince Philip from traditional royal life.

While it is expected that other royals will be “stepping up” to take on these duties, Ms Tominey said that there may be too much work to go around. 

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