HRH PRINCE EDWARD

Edward never really made a name for himself or stood out within the royal family. Having hidden from public gaze and being reticent to bring the people onto his side, neither expressing any view nor support of them and showing no concern at their lives, he should hardly be surprised that they have taken such little interest in his own. His Really Useful Company has not made a name for itself in theatrical circles because it hasn't done anything of any note, his Ardent television production company hasn't managed to produce a profit yet and the public see him as nothing more than another individual who isn't doing very well for himself; another failure, like everyone else.

Any successes he may have achieved stateside, such as his tours discussing the rebuilding of Windsor Castle, have been tainted by the fact that such successes have only been achieved with insider and privileged knowledge and the fawning and toadying of those who attend such events simply to claim for themselves the credit that they've seen a British royal. So when he starts whinging that the British people don't recognise his success it's hardly surprising that they get upset; he's neither a successful royal nor a successful business man, indeed, he's not been a success in any way. It's not surprising that his comments went down like a lead balloon. He's damaged his own, minimal, reputation more than he can possible imagine.

Attempting to offset the damage done, by suggesting his comments were responses to derogatory media coverage in the UK and not the people of Britain, hasn't helped because everyone knows that the press were uttering exactly what the people who read the newspapers think; he's crap and has done nothing worthy of accord. Old Eddie boy has, right royally, put his foot in it. When Prince Edward set up Ardent Productions eight years ago he predicted it would be a success and said there would be no cashing in on Royal connections. But by 1999 Ardent had lost £1.7 million, and only this year did it succeed in recording a pre-tax profit of £30,000. Many of the 37-year-old's productions have had a very royal theme - including the documentaries, Crown and Country charting British history through monuments, Edward on Edward, about the life of his uncle Edward VII, and a documentary on the restoration of Windsor Castle after the 1992 fire.

Sophie Wessex’s once-booming public relations company now has just £100 in the bank and Prince Edward’s controversial television firm owes shareholders more than half a million. Sophie remains a non-executive director of R-JH, despite being forced to step down from her hands-on role in 2001. She and business partner Murray Harkin had been caught bragging about their royal connections to an undercover newspaper reporter. The figures, filed at Companies House, show the firm made its first-ever LOSS in 2002-3, losing £5,903. That compared to a profit of £52,847 in the previous 12 months.

It also has an overdraft and bank loans totalling more than £12,237 and earned so little money it was not eligible for corporation tax. Ardent Productions, where Edward is still a director despite stepping down as MD, cut losses by £12,052. But overall, losses during its 11 years trading total £2,147,366. Shareholders have yet to receive a dividend due since 1997. And the firm, alleged to have stalked Prince William in his first week at university, owes Edward £108,500 rent for its offices at his home in Bagshot Park, Surrey. R-JH’s Chris Clarke blamed its loss on “restructuring” following the exit of Sophie. Ardent director Malcolm Cockren said, “We are restricted because Ardent is not making any new programming.”

Edward Wessex has certainly been taking a beating in the Press lately and rightly so for it was his company, Ardent Productions, who was the first and only media to break the 'gentlemen's agreement' between the Palace and the young princes, William and Harry. On Saturday, September 22nd, Prince William, assisted by his father, Prince Charles, kept up their end of the bargain by allowing members of the press follow them around Scotland. Great photographs and sound bites were taken of the student prince as he shadowed his father on a day of royal duties, which included a stop at Sighthill, a Glasgow neighbourhood with a large population of asylum seekers. A highlight of the tour was a stop at the senior centre where Prince William reportedly signed a 61 year old residents address book and then asked, "Would you like my phone number?" The following day photographers and journalists feasted on the photo ops and quoted answers to the standard questions graciously offered by Prince William upon his arrival at St Andrews University where he will be studying Art History. Everyone packed up Sunday night to leave the Prince to peacefully pursue his studies, everyone that is except the freelance film crew of Ardent Productions, Edward Wessex's company.

Apparently, the University asked them to leave and they claimed they were there making a tourist film about Fife. Then the stories and allegations began to fly. According to some stories, the crew claimed to have permission from St James Palace. Then it was reported that Ardent told St. James Palace they had received permission from St Andrews. On Wednesday, September 26th they were ordered off the University's property. The following day it was reported that the crew had tried to bribe a group of students with take out food and according the Sunday People plying them with wine. They then asked them to pretend it was the future and imagine what they would be saying about the way in which Prince William had adapted to life at St Andrews. One of the students claimed that the photographers received a call from Edward during the meal. "Eddie said there would probably be a bit of fuss in the papers but there was nothing to worry about," claimed one.

The Mirror ran stories of Charles reaming Edward and calling him many un-royal like names. The Sun ran an article titled "The Weasel of Wessex" in which they outline the series of lies they claim the Earl and Ardent had been telling. The Times was a bit more civil with an article titled "Prince Charles tells Edward to Apologize". The tabloids were having what was described as a 'feeding frenzy' at the expense of the Edward who has not always shown them respect. Andrew Neil, Rector of St Andrews, stated, "We knew when we were doing that, that somebody would break it as some stage. But for it to be broken by a company owned by his own uncle . . . well, you just couldn't make it up." Indeed!

Under pressure from all sides about its apparent disregard of the gentlemen's agreement Ardent released a statement, which read in part, "It unreservedly apologises if the activity of the production team has put those agreed arrangements in doubt." Mr Neil's response? "Both students and staff are worried about the half-hearted tone and grudging nature of the apology, and the fact that it did not come from Edward," he said. "The apology is described as unreserved, but it's not unreserved at all, it's grudging."

Just when it looks likes things couldn't get any worse, enter the self proclaimed PR maven, Sophie Wessex. Sophie's intervention, according to the grapevine, has caused further humiliation for her husband and his family. It is reported that she attempted to order Ardent Producer Paul Watson to apologize during a heated discussion claiming, "You have to understand bigger things are at issue here. Edward, after all, is a member of the Royal Family." She also attempted to exonerate her husband by claiming Prince Charles' reaction to the 'harmless' tape was 'over the top'. One article claimed that HM has advised her 'gaffe prone' daughter-in-law to keep quiet.