First Voyage After Queen’s Death: Prince Edward Honors Paderborn

First journey after Queen’s death
Prince Edward honors Paderborn

9/23/2022, 4:49 PM

Officially, the members of the British royal family are still in the mourning phase after the death of the Queen. However, some of them are already taking appointments again. For example, Prince Edward, who is visiting Paderborn.

On Monday, billions of people watched London at his mother’s funeral. Four days later, Prince Edward, the grieving youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, is very close to the people of Germany.

In Paderborn, East Westphalia, the prince of the English royal family shakes many hands at the barriers and accepts a rose as a sign of sympathy. All in black, Edward, Earl of Wessex, congratulates a newlywed couple on their wedding in front of Paderborn Town Hall – with happy smiles on their faces.

What language was spoken? “English”, the groom says cheerfully and speaks of a very special moment. Edward had visited his regiment in East Westphalia, the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, before driving to the town hall, where the prince signed the town’s golden book. The public was not allowed in the morning conversation between the honorary colonel and the British soldiers in Paderborn-Sennelager. His visit was part of the royal mourning for the late Queen.

Rarely in the spotlight

Furthermore, Queen Elizabeth II’s youngest son is rarely in the spotlight. His eldest brother Charles has been in the limelight as heir to the throne for decades. As the new king, he will probably get even more attention. And brother Prince Andrew, the black sheep of the family because of accusations of assault, can also be read much more often in the media.

In the corona pandemic, especially Edward’s wife, Countess Sophie, held many royal appointments – via video switching. She called for more openness about women’s problems during menopause or spoke, with some restraint, of course, about the family’s grief for Queen’s husband Prince Philip. The Queen, it was said, was very pleased with Sophie.

But now the Earl of Wessex, as Edward’s official title is, has the honor of the first royal trip abroad after the Queen’s death. After the death of his mother, he could certainly get a more important role. Because King Charles III. wants to slim down the royal family. As the “Daily Express” recently reported, seven members of the royal family are said to actively represent the monarchy: in addition to the regent and his queen wife Camilla, these are the heir apparent Prince William and his wife Princess Kate and Princess Anne – and Edward and Sophie.

Sober and without scandal

The couple, who have two children with Lady Louise, 18, and James, 14, known as Viscount Severn, are considered sober and have been scandal-free for many years. Prince Edward is the Queen’s only child who has not been divorced. Sophie comes from a middle-class family, she has long earned the respect of the royal family and is also popular with the locals. According to experts, these are exactly the qualities that the royal family needs to be accepted as an institution in modern times.

Why Paderborn, why the visit to East Westphalia? Prince Edward’s mother visited Paderborn in 1965, 1977 and 1985 and also signed the city’s Golden Book.

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 at the age of 96 at her Scottish estate Balmoral Castle. The British founded North Rhine-Westphalia after the Second World War as occupiers. To this day, military personnel are stationed in the state – as part of NATO forces on the edge of the Teutoburg Forest.

André Kuper, chairman of the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, on Friday repeated the verdict that was handed down in North Rhine-Westphalia in relation to the British armed forces: “Occupiers became friends.”