Buckle up, everyone! Here's a history lesson you definitely won't find in textbooks!
World History is such a fun subject as it teaches you about how states work and what the post-war worlds looked like. You may have learned about the rise of the USSR (modern-day Russia) and the USA as superpowers and how the two states often butted heads with one another. However, it wasn’t only the Soviet Union and the USA that were key players during World War II. In fact, there were many stakeholders that actively took part in forming alliances and put in their resources against the "enemy." As you might be aware, some of these stakeholders included states like France and Great Britain.
Getty Images | A 1979 Balmoral Castle picture of Prince Charles with his brother Prince Andrew and Prince Edward
But, what about Estonia?
Before disclosing the name of the potential Estonian ruler, let’s talk about why and how Estonia went from being a part of the USSR to wanting a new leader. Estonia came under Soviet rule after the Soviet troops invaded the land on 17th June 1940, and once they took over, they introduced their own communist government to the Estonian people. By August 6th of the same year, Estonia had officially become a republic of the USSR with a new name Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Things began to change once the Soviet Union allowed free elections in Estonia. For the first time, civilians were able to elect a parliament of their own choice, which was reflected in the parliament passing the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration in 1988. In 1990, it was officially named Estonia and in the next year, their independence was finalized.
AFP via Getty | Nine years after Estonian independence, Prince Edward and Sophie tied the knot
Where to go from here?
Now that the hard part was over, it was time for the harder time to come: seeking a new leader. The Royalist Party in the burgeoning Baltic Country reached out to the royal family of Britain in hopes to get the guidance they needed and they weren’t just looking for anyone; they were looking for Prince Edward.
The Earl of Wessex had the chance to become the King of Estonia, while in Britain, he was 14th in the line of succession. Though the Royalist Party was enthusiastic about the offer, Buckingham palace wasn’t. They stated that the offer may be flattering but it wasn’t practical.
Getty Images | Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones are now parents to two young children of ages 17 and 13
While Buckingham Palace may be content with its decision, the children definitely have hoped that their father had taken the offer.
