This Sunday, March 10, Prince Edward received the highest Scottish decoration: being designated a member of the Order of the Thistle. It was awarded to him by his older brother, King Charles III, to celebrate his 60th birthday, which he celebrated that same day. To commemorate the six decades of life of the Duke of Edinburgh – a title he inherited from his father just one year ago, when he turned 59 – four photographs taken by Chris Jelf on March 4 at his residence in Bagshot Park, near from Windsor, about 40 kilometers from London. In them, the duke, married to Sophie Rhys-Jones and father of two children, appears with his dogs Teal (labrador), Mole (cocker spaniel) y Teasel (Labrador puppy). However, little has been said about those images compared to what yesterday became the royal image of the day: that of the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, accompanied by her three children, the first she published after her abdominal surgery that has kept her away. of public life. A photo that three communication agencies removed hours later from their servers after ensuring that it had been edited and that it had only fueled conspiracy theories that revolve around the true whereabouts and state of health of the princess.
The younger brother of the British monarch has always gone unnoticed and he has not been different on his birthday either. Yes, he received a nice tribute from his wife. “Here is a more detailed view of the man I am so proud to be married to,” she anticipated in a speech she gave on March 8 at a celebration prior to his birthday. “He has been my guide and he has shown me the way over the years. He has “He has provided much help and advice, and his knowledge and instincts, honed over decades of service, are invaluable,” said the Duchess of Edinburgh. And she finished with a closing that made the prince cry: “Like my father-in-law, my husband never looks for compliments. That's why when he receives recognition it is always a total surprise for him. For this reason, I am grateful for this opportunity to, for once, be able to celebrate and congratulate him publicly. He is the best father, the most loving husband and remains my best friend.” For once, Eduardo became the center of attention.
The real focus has been on other members of the British royal family for months. So on the Duke's 60th birthday they also ended up taking center stage. The reason: the celebration of Mother's Day in the United Kingdom. An anniversary for which Kensington Palace decided to break its silence regarding Kate Middleton's recovery since she underwent abdominal surgery on January 17 by sharing the first image – supposedly from earlier in the week – of the Princess of Wales after of months of absence.
But that attempt to nip speculation regarding his health in the bud turned against him when millions of people began to point out obvious Photoshop manipulations. So the photo, already viral, became even more commented and shared. “Like many amateur photographers, I experiment with editing from time to time. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion caused by the family photograph that we shared yesterday,” the princess apologized this Monday through the palace's social networks, when all the commotion caused by the image is still continuing.
Even so, the mysterious recovery of the Princess of Wales (at least to the public), added to the treatment that Charles III is receiving after learning at the beginning of February that he suffers from cancer, make the figure of the Duke of Edinburgh more important. never. Now that both the monarch and his daughter-in-law have postponed their public royal duties until they are recovered, Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward are the visible heads of the institution. Queen Camilla, who has also taken over from her husband in several events since his absence, announced on March 3 that she was going to take a few days of private rest with her family, although she will return to work this Monday, March 11. to represent the king at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
So, at his recently turned 60, Prince Edward is more than ever a key figure for the monarchical institution to continue to maintain its momentum. Last week, for example, he had eight official engagements, including a visit to Staffordshire Police headquarters to attend the 10th anniversary of the force's cadet scheme or attending the Community Sports Awards in Headingley. He embodies the discreet and low-media figure that the British royal family now needs so much.