The Duchess of Edinburgh could have become Queen if Prince Edward had accepted an unusual offer from Estonia in 1994. At the time, Estonia was undergoing significant socio-political changes and asked Queen Elizabeth's youngest son to become its head of state. Buckingham Palace politely declined the "charming" but unusual offer.
Estonia's royal proposal
After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1994, several new countries emerged in Eastern Europe, including Estonia. During Estonia's first elections, the Independent Royalist Party, which wanted the country to be a monarchy, won eight seats in Parliament and began searching for a suitable candidate for the top job.
The Sunday Telegraph reported at the time that the party leader had written to the Royal Family to ask if Prince Edward would consider becoming their king, as they believed he was "perfect" for the role. The country expressed its honour and admiration for Prince Edward, inviting him to accept a unique offer because they "enormously" admired him.
Palace response and royal titles
Buckingham Palace reportedly responded to the peculiar proposal, stating it was "a charming idea but a rather unlikely one." If Prince Edward had accepted, it would have drastically altered subsequent events.
In 2023, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie experienced a significant change in their royal status, becoming the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, a title with profound meaning, especially for Sophie. The previous Duchess of Edinburgh was the late Queen, who held the title from her marriage in 1947 until her accession in 1952.
Sophie's close bond with the Queen
Sophie shared a very close relationship with the late Queen and recalled the moment Prince Philip expressed his wish for them to take on the Edinburgh title. She said in a previous interview: "We sat there slightly stunned. He literally came straight in and said, 'Right. I'd like it very much if you would consider that.'"
However, this wasn't the only title option for the couple; before their 1999 wedding, it was announced that they would be known as the Earl and Countess of Wessex, which surprised many, as it was expected that Edward would receive a dukedom like his brothers. Opting for the title of Earl made Prince Edward the first royal since the Tudor era to break with convention. The decision wasn't a snub towards the Queen; rather, it was at Edward's behest to hold the distinct title of Earl of Wessex – a title dormant since the 11th century.
Influenced by his fondness for the movie 'Shakespeare in Love', featuring a character named Lord Wessex, Edward reportedly expressed his preference during a conversation with the Queen. A royal insider revealed in 2010, "He liked the sound of it and asked the Queen if he could have that instead."
