The Sandringham estate might be best known lately as the home of disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, but another member of the Royal Family has been spotted hard at work in Norfolk this summer. According to the Sun, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s 18-year-old son James, the Earl of Wessex, has taken on a summer job helping out as a farmhand at the estate, much to the shock of staffers.
“Everyone is so used to only seeing James smartly turned out with his family at functions at Christmas and Easter so I had to do a double take,” one estate worker said after spotting James riding a tractor.
“He might be The King’s nephew but he is more than happy to get his hands dirty and muck in,” the staffer added. “Driving tractors around Sandringham is not an easy task and it can mean long hours. But it doesn’t matter how rich you are, learning a good work ethic at a young age can always help.”
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The Earl of Wessex is pictured with his mother, the Duchess of Edinburgh, at Royal Ascot 2026.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
James stands next to Princess Kate and Prince George on Easter Sunday 2026.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
James, who just graduated from secondary school at Radley College this summer, will be receiving the results of his A-levels next week, the rigorous tests used in the U.K. to determine university placement.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have not made any announcements about their son’s future plans, although it’s been rumored he’ll be taking a gap year.
The Earl of Wessex isn’t the only member of Sophie and Edward’s family to take on a regular job before heading off to college. His big sister, Lady Louise, worked at a garden center to earn extra money ahead of her time at the University of St Andrews, and she recently took on a job helping out at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
