The Duke of Edinburgh is set to miss a milestone occasion this week, as his son James, Earl of Wessex turns 17 on Tuesday. However, due to prior commitments tied to his royal duties, Prince Edward will not be there to celebrate with his son in person.
The Duke is currently carrying out engagements in Bahrain and will then travel to Kuwait before returning to the UK ahead of King Charles' annual family Christmas lunch later this week.
It remains unclear whether the Earl of Wessex will join his family for the festivities, although he will no doubt be with his sister, Lady Louise, and their mother, the Duchess of Edinburgh, at Sandringham for Christmas Day.
James is currently studying at school in Surrey and has been busy prepping for his A-levels next year. In June, he was noticeably absent from the King's birthday parade, most likely due to his hectic schedule and revision for his GCCEs.
Duchess Sophie, 59, has previously spoken about her children's futures post-education. "We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living," she told The Sunday Times in 2020.
"Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it's highly unlikely."
Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, who have been married for 25 years, reside at Bagshot Park in Surrey with their family.
In March 2023, James took over his father's former title, Earl of Wessex. This significant milestone occurred after Edward and Sophie became the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh on Prince Edward's 59th birthday.
While the Earl of Wessex is a hereditary title, the Duke of Edinburgh is not. As such, upon Edward's passing, the dukedom will not be passed to his children but will instead revert back to the Crown.
However, when that time comes, James is expected to inherit the title Earl of Wessex and Forfar - his father's corresponding Scottish title.