It’s an open secret that the Royal Family has taken more than a few hits to its reputation in recent years. Some of this is due to antics from older royals, like Harry and Meghan, the rebels who stepped away from the family and moved to America. Some of it is due to older royals, including Prince Andrew, who has been severely punished for his cozy relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. All of this adds up to a reputation in the royal gutter. However, a rising star amid the royals might just be able to restore the family’s good name.
Which royal is that? James, the son of Prince Edward. Does Edward’s name not ring a bell? If you need a refresher, he’s Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son. This explains why he has mostly stayed out of the international spotlight; after all, it’s hard to compete with his older siblings, Andrew and Charles, for attention! Now, however, Edward’s son has started appearing at various functions and making a real name for himself. Furthermore, he is so well-liked around the world that many hope he will be able to improve England’s reputation on the international stage.
A royal player who hates the game
Right now, you might be asking the obvious question: if Prince Edward’s son is such a big deal, why haven’t you heard of him before now? There are two primary reasons. The first is that his parents wanted to keep their son, James, out of the spotlight. Therefore, he was kept from most public functions for the same reason that Barron Trump was: his parents wanted him to have a relatively normal childhood. And that brings us to the second reason you may not have heard of James.
Despite being (or perhaps because of being) Queen Elizabeth’s son, Prince Edward didn’t want to lock his children into the royal lifestyle as soon as they were born. In an interview with The Times of London, Edward’s wife, Sophie, said, “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence, we made the decision not to use HRH titles.” This refers to the His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness titles the children were born with. “They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely,” Sophie said.
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A new player enters the field
As you can tell, Edward and Sophie had a solid game plan to insulate their son James from public appearances. However, as every parent can tell you, it’s hard to hold onto a stern parental rule forever. And as James has gotten older, his famous parents have relented and allowed him to come to official events on a frequent basis. Once they did so, parents and child alike learned something pleasantly surprising: people really, really like James!
Why do people like James? For some, it’s all the reasons you’d expect: he’s rich and he’s handsome, which automatically wins people over. Plus, he’s young…in a very literal sense, he represents the future. Finally, he’s the kind of royal that even the family’s biggest critics can’t help but admire.
An uncertain future
Do you want to know a little secret about why Harry and Meghan constantly spill tea about the royal family? It’s because it wins them fans, of course. For every one family member or anglophile they irk with their antics, they pick up countless royal haters from around the world. Harry and Meghan are leaning into their rebellious reputation to win these haters over. This presents the rest of the royal family with a difficult question: how can they win over the people who hate the very idea of a royal family while not alienating their biggest fans?
Some believe that James is the answer to that question. He is someone that fans of the royal family like because he’s fun, charming, and scandal-free. The fact that he’s a handsome heartthrob is just the cherry on top. At the same time, he has the potential to win over those who are highly critical of this famous family because he comes from a family of working royals. He’s closer to us than we’ll ever be to King Charles, and that alone makes it easier to root for him.
Of course, whether everyone keeps rooting for James will largely depend on what he does with the rest of his life. When he turns 18, he gets to assume his title and, should he wish, commit himself to the royal family. This would give him added wealth and fame, but it would cost him his street cred. Conversely, James might fully forsake all royal trappings and live a simple life. That’s a path with fewer tangible riches. But it’s also a humble path that could help transform him into the most popular royal since Princess Diana.
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