The Royal Family have shared sweet throwback pictures of Prince Edward as he celebrates his 56th birthday.
Taking to the official Instagram account, the Queen, 93, paid tribute to her youngest son, sharing a picture of Edward as a baby in 1965, alongside Prince Philip, and a young Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew.
‘Happy birthday to The Earl of Wessex, who celebrates his 56th birthday today,’ the caption reads.
And taking to Twitter, the royal family posted a picture of the Queen explaining the details of the Trooping of the Colour to her youngest son Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace in 1972.
Taking to the official Instagram account , the Queen, 93, paid tribute to her youngest son, sharing a picture of Edward as a baby in 1965, alongside Prince Philip, and a young Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew
‘Happy birthday to The Earl of Wessex, who celebrates his 56th birthday today,’ the caption reads
The pictures quickly racked up thousands of likes, with one fan writing: ‘So cute!! He still has the same face!!’.
Another added: ‘So Happy Ed got a happy family!’, while one said: ‘Queen Elizabeth looks so gorgeous’.
Elsewhere one even claimed: ‘Prince George looks exactly like young Prince Edward’.
And taking to Twitter , the royal family posted a picture of the Queen explaining the details of the Trooping of the Colour to her youngest son Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace in 1972
Edward was born on 10 March 1964 and is the third son and youngest child of The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The prince completed his A-Levels in History, English Literature and Economic and Political Studies in 1982, and then decided to take a gap year.
During his time abroad, he worked as a house tutor teaching English and History at the Collegiate School in Wanganui, New Zealand.
Prince Edward currently holds 4 degrees: his BA in History from Cambridge, and 2 honorary degrees. He has also been awarded The Earl of Wessex a degree by both The University of Victoria awarded and the University of Prince Edward Island.
As Chancellor of the University of Bath, he holds an honorary doctorate in Law.
In 1986, after graduating, Prince Edward decided to embark on a career in theatrical productions.
Lady Louise Windsor, James Viscount Severn at The Wild Place Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex visit to Bristol in 2019
Britain’s Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, arrive for the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London, Britain March 9
In 1993, Edward formed his own company Ardent Productions. Prince Edward also tried his hand at a military role and started training as an Officer Cadet in the Royal Marines in 1986. He didn’t take to military life and left the Marines in January 1987.
Prince Edward met his wife, Sophie Rhys-Jones at a tennis event in 1993. Sophie was standing in for sports personality, Sue Barker, and had to pose for promotional photos with Edward for the event, leading to the start of their relationship.
In June 1999, the couple of six years were married at Windsor Castle. They requested that guests didn’t wear evening dress or hats as they wanted a low key affair.
However, the Queen Mother did wear a lavender hat. Princes William and Harry, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie attended, but the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, was not invited.
Edward’s full title is ‘HRH, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Viscount Severn’. The title of Earl of Wessex was given to him by The Queen, on his wedding day.
The last person to hold that title was Harold II, who died at the Battle of Hastings, 1066.
In 2002, Edward and his wife both quit their private jobs in order to support The Queen during her jubilee.
The Prince is involved with over 79 organisations, many in aid of charities that provide opportunities for young people and became heavily involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Award ever since achieving the Gold Award himself in 1986.
After the passing of both his parents, it is intended that Prince Edward will be granted the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
The Prince became a father for the first time in November 2003. Despite birth complications, the Prince and his wife welcomed Lady Windsor into their family. The couple had their second child a year later, a boy, James, Viscount Severn.
The British royal family pose for a group portrait at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of the 25th wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, 1972