| Edward II | |
|---|---|
| |
| King of the United States | |
| Reign | April 17, 1980 - Present |
| Coronation | July 6, 1981 |
| Predecessor | Henry IV |
| Heir apparent | Crown Prince Andrew |
| Born | January 19, 1947 New York City, NY |
| Spouse | Lucille Beaumont (m. 1968) |
| Issue | Crown Prince Andrew Princess Eleanor |
| Full name | |
| Henry Frederick Edward William | |
| House | Hohenzollern-Amerika |
| Father | Crown Prince Robert |
| Mother | Abigail Nicholas |
Edward II (Henry Frederick Edward William; January 19, 1947) is the current reigning monarch of the United States. Expected to become King at a much later date, he found himself being the heir-apparent for Henry IV in 1968 following the assassination of Crown Prince Robert, the king's eldest son and Prince Henry's father.
Early life[]
Edward was born at 4:22 am, in New York Royal Manor, to Crown Prince Robert and Abigail Nicholas. At the insistence of his grandmother, Queen Abigail, he was given the first name Henry however was always referred to by the family as Edward. He had a fairly happy childhood, his mother would spend much of her time with him and was his private tutor. Edward enjoyed drinking and smoking and would do both on a daily basis from the age of 17. Edward unexpectedly became heir apparent in 1968, aged just 21, after his father was assassinated.
Edward met Lucille Beaumont for the first time in 1966 when he was dating her friend. They became reacquainted with each other after meeting again at a polo match, which Edward was playing in. The pair married on 4 September 1968, just a month after his father’s assassination. The couple had their first child Prince Andrew in 1972, followed by a daughter, Princess Eleanor, in 1974.
Military Service[]
Second Pacific War[]
Edward broke with royal tradition by opting not to attend West Point academy, choosing to go into the U.S. Navy. Despite concerns over his safety, especially after his father’s assassination, Edward was permitted to fight in the Second Pacific War for two months from December 1974 to February 1975.
Edward pictured wearing his Medal of Honor in 1996
Upon Prince Edward’s return from active service in 1975 he was awarded the Medal of Honor by his grandfather, King Henry IV. The decision to award Edward the Medal of Honor was criticised by some politicians, notably George McGovern and Jerry Brown, as nepotistic and elitist.
Reign[]
Henry IV died following a sudden heart attack on 17 April 1980. Immediately Edward ascended to the throne. There had been speculation as to what regnal name Edward would choose upon his succession to the throne, with President Richard Nixon privately suggesting he go by his first name of Henry to signal continuity with his popular grandfather.