Prince Edward married Sophie, Countess of Wessex in 1999 and the royal pair have recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary together. The prince’s namesake Edward VIII notoriously caused a constitutional crisis in 1936 after he stated his intention to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson, and the pair remained  controversial figures for the rest of their lives. In 1996, the Earl of Wessex made a documentary on Edward VIII for ITV, called “Edward on Edward”, about his uncle’s 1936 abdication and unconventional life afterwards.

Journalist and historian Andy Beckett, writing for The Guardian in 2002 about the prince’s company Ardent Productions, relates how the modern-day Edward took his research to bizarre lengths.

Mr Beckett writes: “It was a subject that seemed close to Edward’s heart. 

“Besides being related to the Duke of Windsor, he shared the same ambiguous status as a much-criticised member of the Royal Family.

“And since 1995, when Prince Edward had started calling himself Edward Windsor on his Ardent business cards, he had publicly shared the Duke’s last name. 

“While the documentary was being researched, Edward became so immersed in reading his subject’s private correspondence that he even began signing documents and letters with a copy of the Duke of Windsor’s signature.”

Edward VIII signed his name simply Edward, or Edward Duke of Windsor, with a very distinctive “E”.

Meanwhile his wife, popularly remembered as Wallis Simpson, signed her name Wallis Windsor. 

Mr Beckett also reported an awkward moment during the filming of the documentary when Edward  questioned the only living witness to a notorious meeting between the Duke of Windsor and Adolf Hitler.

He writes: “It gradually became clear that Edward was getting nowhere. He was just circling round the central issue of the infamous meeting.”

Producer Christine Carter said:  “Eventually I had to stop the interview.

“And I said to Edward and the interviewee: ‘What did the Duke of Windsor say to Hitler?’ 

“Edward said, ‘Chris, you’d better do this interview.’ “

By 2001, Edward had agreed to stop making royal films, and apologised to the Queen, after the production company broke a filming embargo on Prince William at the University of St Andrews.”

The debacle reportedly incensed Prince Charles, who “went ballistic” with his younger brother. 

Prince Edward stepped down form the company in 2002, before Ardent eventually folded in 2010.

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