How Prince Edward was offered to be king, and why Queen Elizabeth rejected the idea

As Prince William prepares for his upcoming royal tour to Estonia next week in his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Mercian Regiment, an unusual offer made to his uncle, Prince Edward, has come to light.

In 1994, as Estonia underwent significant socio-political change following the collapse of the Soviet Union, an Estonian representative approached Queen Elizabeth II with a surprising request—to appoint her youngest son, Prince Edward, as the country’s head of state.

At the time, Estonia's newly formed Independent Royalist Party sought to restore the monarchy and had won eight seats in the country’s first parliamentary elections. 

Looking for a suitable royal candidate, the party leader wrote to Buckingham Palace, stating that Prince Edward was “enormously admired” in Estonia and would be the ideal choice for the role.

However, Buckingham Palace swiftly turned down the request, reportedly responding that while it was “a charming idea,” it was “a rather unlikely one.”

Why is Prince William heading to Estonia?

The resurfacing of this unusual royal offer coincides with Prince William’s first official visit to Estonia. The Prince of Wales is set to embark on a two-day trip next week to meet British soldiers from the Mercian Regiment who are stationed at Tapa Camp as part of Operation Cabrit.

The operation represents Britain’s commitment to NATO allies and aims to strengthen Estonia’s defense capabilities while sending a clear message of deterrence against potential threats from neighbouring Russia.

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