Prince Edward grabs US media attention after King Charles' decision

King Charles' younger brother Prince Edward represented the royal family at the funeral of former US President Jimmy Carter in Washington, DC last week.

The Duke of Edinburgh paid respects to the nation’s 39th president, who died on Dec. 29 at 100 years old. 

Prince Edward sat beside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, a Commonwealth country and crown realm, for the solemn service.

US media published several article on Edward presence at the funeral at a time when Donald Trump was about to resume office.

"Prince Edward represented the royal family at Jimmy Carter's funeral. What does that mean for Trump?," read the headline of an article published in Vanity Fair.

It added, "Edward's presence signals both his growing importance in his own family, as well as the monarchy's importance to British diplomacy at a potentially rocky moment."

King Charles sent Edward's wife Princess Sophie to represent him at the state funeral of former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano in September   2023.

During the same month, the Duke of Edinburgh undertook a visit to Turkey to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Some media reports suggested that it was the king and the British government's decision to send Edward on the diplomatic mission.

It was happening when neither King nor Kate Middleton were diagnosed with caner.

Edward's foreign visits were also used to criticise Prince William, who is heir to the throne.