Prince Edward's Former Partner to Publish Book About Their Relationship. 'I Almost Became a Princess'

The British royal family faces the prospect of another potentially compromising publication. The former girlfriend of Prince Edward, the younger son of Queen Elizabeth II, is preparing to release a candid biography describing her romance with a member of the monarchy. The book is set to be published in autumn 2026, and its announcement has raised speculation whether the revealed details might cause new image troubles for the palace. German media, citing information from British tabloids, described the announcement as a potential "another scandal" for the royal family. The press notes that the monarchy is still dealing with the consequences of other high-profile publications, such as Prince Harry's book "Spare" and the documentary series by Harry and Meghan. In this context, any new critical story from inside the palace poses a threat to the carefully crafted image of the institution. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He was born in 1964. For most of his life, he has remained in the shadow of his older siblings, avoiding significant publicity. His marriage to Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999 is considered one of the most stable and scandal-free in recent British royal history. According to reports, the book's author claims she was "one step away from becoming a princess." She is said to describe a period when her relationship with Edward was seriously considered as a potential royal marriage. Such "rejected love" stories always attract significant media interest, especially when they concern the private lives of high-profile public figures. The British "The Telegraph," which first reported the information, suggests that the publication could shed new light on Prince Edward's youth and his personal decisions from several decades ago. There is no official comment yet from Buckingham Palace or Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie. The monarchy's standard practice in the case of controversial book announcements is to ignore them until publication, to avoid giving them additional prominence. However, royal family public relations experts point out that any such story, even concerning the distant past, in today's highly hierarchical media world can have wide repercussions and is used by tabloids to build narratives about a "monarchy in crisis."

Perspektywy mediów: Media treat the announcement as another element eroding the image of the traditional monarchy, fueled by a desire to settle accounts with the past. Conservative press may see this as another attempt to slander an institution that should be protected from excessive media interference.