‘It’s a Royal Knockout’ put his reputation on the canvas, writes INGRID SEWARD. Yet what a turnaround we see today – as newly popular Prince Edward rises through the ranks…

It is now more than thirty years since Prince Edward dramatically quit the Royal Marine training program.

In 1987 it was hoped that the Queen’s youngest son could be a kind of royal advertisement for our armed forces.

When it turned out that Edward’s father, Prince Philip, was a captain general of the Marines, the embarrassment was even greater.

Edward’s reputation fared slightly better with his next move that same year.

Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, wears the Order of the Thistle for the first time at the dedication of a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, RFA Stirling Castle, in Leith

Prince Edward and Sophie hugged after her emotional speech praising him on his 60th birthday, when she said: ‘I’m so proud of the man he is. He is the best father, the most loving husband and still my best friend

In an attempt to launch a theater career, the Prince created the disastrous TV special that became known as ‘It’s a Royal Knockout’, featuring members of the royal family in silly games played by Stuart Hall.

The episode is remembered even now as a national humiliation, but remains a sore point for Edward. The following years, including a stint with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Really Useful’ group, brought little solace and when he set up his own company, Ardent, he was accused of producing only royal films.

But what a transformation we see today.

According to a recent YouGov poll, Edward – now a key figure in the monarchy – has seen the biggest rise in popularity over time of any member of the royal family.

The prince has just been appointed colonel of the Scots Guards, succeeding the 88-year-old Duke of Kent – an honor bestowed on him by his older brother, the king.

It’s one of many.

Last year, on Edward’s 59th birthday, Charles made him Duke of Edinburgh, the title their father had held. This year Edward received the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s highest royal honor.

It’s all a fitting reward, not just for plain hard work, but for thorough decency.

Edward, who has just celebrated his 60th birthday, has rarely received much positive media attention.

When he married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999, he was accused of making money from TV coverage of the wedding.

Two years later, when Prince William started at the University of St Andrews, Edwards TV company Ardent filmed the student Prince, while other media had agreed to withdraw.

Being a private person, Edward was humiliated by the disapproval he received. His calm appearance masks a less confident individual than he wants to portray.

Marriage and fatherhood have matured him – he attributes this largely to his wife Sophie – but he still misses the spontaneous warmth that his older brother, the king, so successfully deployed in public.

He can certainly come across as rather thoughtless, much like his siblings, but that’s not entirely his own fault.

The royal descendants of his generation were raised to have everything done for them, from the complicated to the mundane.

No wonder Edward likes order and expects everything to be done right.

It’s said that he finds the whole thing of being a royal very limiting at times, but he’s learned to live alongside it, without worrying about everything being done for him.

He can be arrogant at times, but he is never overtly condescending towards people.

He is friendly and has a self-deprecating sense of humor. He writes his speeches himself and delivers them with humor.

When his words seem to fail, he continues, protected by the royal mantle and safe in the knowledge that sooner or later he will surely laugh.

Within the immediate family, he is closest to his sister, the Princess Royal.

They have certain similarities: the more they feel appreciated, the more responsive they are.

Major General Sir Michael Hobbs, former director of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, once summed up Edward perfectly.

“He is everything he doesn’t seem to be in his public image. He’s not an asshole and he’s not pompous in the slightest.

Prince Edward was accused of making money from TV coverage of his wedding to Sophie

Prince Edward was angry when TV company Ardent filmed student Prince William – his cousin – while other media had agreed to withdraw

Prince Edward is closest to his older sister, Princess Anne, says Ingrid Seward

‘He shows strong traits of his late father, but is a product of his own generation. There’s a certain gentleness about him that makes him a thoroughly decent guy.”

It took a long time, but it seems the public now agrees.

• Ingrid Seward is the author of My Mother and I – the relationship between the late Queen and King Charles and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine

“He is everything he doesn’t seem to be in his public image. He’s not an asshole and he’s not pompous in the slightest.