Prince Edward spent three years in the Royal Marines as a University Cadet but, after graduating from Cambridge, left to pursue a career in theatrical production.

His Royal Highness worked for two theatrical production companies, notably Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company. Here he looked after Phantom of the Opera, Starlight Express and Cats, as well as being involved with the production of Aspects of Love.

His Royal Highness wrote and narrated two films about The Duke of Edinburgh’s’ Award shown on BBC television in 1987.

In 1993 Prince Edward formed Ardent Productions, an independent television production company. Programmes produced in the United Kingdom included ‘Edward on Edward’, thirty half-hour programmes of ‘Crown and Country’; the ‘Cater Street Hangman’; and a programme on the restoration of Windsor Castle after the fire in 1993.

In March 2002 The Earl of Wessex announced that both he and The Countess of Wessex would withdraw from their respective companies, Ardent Productions and R-JH Public Relations, in order to focus on supporting The Queen during the Golden Jubilee and beyond, and to support and promote many organisations, charities, individuals and companies who deserve to be recognised for their efforts, initiative and entrepreneurship.