After working for Really Useful Group for a few years, Prince Edward joined another theater troupe, Theatre Division. Sadly, this job was short-lived. According to The Guardian, the company shut down the next year due to unsustainable debts amounting to £600,000.
In 1987, the prince was involved in the filming and broadcasting of a reality TV game show featuring various members of the royal family as well as international celebrities. Though it was widely ridiculed and considered a "public relations disaster," Prince Edward considered it the "the most extraordinary day in [his] life." This perhaps explains why he decided to form a television production company after the demise of his theater career.
The prince went by plain ol' Edward Windsor when he formed Ardent Productions. The independent production company worked on several projects, including "Edward on Edward," a documentary in which Prince Edward explores the controversial life and abdication of his uncle Edward VIII. However, the company and its productions did not have a great reputation. "They're a sad joke in the industry, really," an industry rival told The Guardian. The company folded nine years after its inception.
