The Duke of Edinburgh is set to miss his son James’s 17th birthday celebration on Tuesday due to royal engagements abroad.
Prince Edward is currently carrying out duties in Bahrain, followed by a visit to Kuwait.
The Duke will return to the UK later this week, in time for King Charles’s annual family Christmas lunch.
Despite being unable to mark the milestone with his son in person, Prince Edward is expected to join his family, including James, Earl of Wessex, at Sandringham for Christmas Day.
The Duke of Edinburgh is set to miss his son James’s 17th birthday celebration on Tuesday due to royal engagements abroad
PA
It is still unclear whether he will spend his birthday with his sister, Lady Louise, and their mother, the Duchess of Edinburgh, at their family residence in Bagshot Park, Surrey.
James, Earl of Wessex, is currently pursuing his studies at a school in Surrey, where he is preparing for his A-level examinations next year.
The 16-year-old was notably absent from King Charles’s birthday parade in June, likely due to his demanding academic schedule and GCSE revision commitments.
The young Earl has been making more public appearances recently, following his assumption of the Earl of Wessex title in March 2023.
This title change occurred when his father Edward and mother Sophie became the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh on Prince Edward’s 59th birthday.
The family maintains their primary residence at Bagshot Park in Surrey, where Edward and Sophie have lived throughout their 25-year marriage.
While the Earl of Wessex is a hereditary title, the Duke of Edinburgh will not pass to James upon his father’s death, instead reverting to the Crown.
James is expected to inherit the titles Earl of Wessex and Forfar – his father’s Scottish title – in the future.
The Duchess of Edinburgh previously addressed her children’s future in a 2020 interview with The Sunday Times, stating: “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living.”
Sophie also revealed their decision regarding royal titles. She said: “Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”
King Charles awarded Prince Edward the Order of the Thistle on his 60th birthday.
This is Scotland’s highest royal honour and is named after the country’s national flower, the thistle.
