LONDON -- Prince Edward, the youngest of Queen Elizabeth's sons and fifth in line to the throne, angrily stormed out of a news conference after reporters declined to say whether they enjoyed themselves at his charity event.
'Eddie Blows his Top,' shouted the headline on Tuesday's Star. 'Edward Storms Out,' declared The Daily Mirror. 'Edward: It's a Walkout,' read The Daily Mail.
The outburst came Monday at the end of an all-day charity event organized by the 23-year-old prince in which members of the royal family and celebrities competed in games on a television show while dressed in medieval costumes.
Edward, obviously proud of the event that raised about $1.63 million for various charities, attended a press conference afterward to thank his fellow organizers.
He asked about 50 reporters who covered the proceedings, 'I only hope you have enjoyed yourselves. Have you?'
The question was greeted with virtual silence.
When he got no response, the angry Edward said, 'Well thanks for sounding so bloody enthusiastic!'
Then he stormed past reporters and out of the press tent, leaving his detective to chase after him.
As he walked away, Edward waved his finger at photographers and said: 'One day you lot are going to have to learn some manners.'
His co-organizer, BBC disc jockey Mike Smith, returned seconds later, red-faced and upset.
'I hope to high hell that you are not filing stories saying that he was insulting,' Smith said. 'The guy has just staged probably the event of the year and all he was doing was looking for someone to tell him that.'
Edward was on the front page of Britain's newspapers several months ago when he announced he was quitting the Royal Marines training camp.
Speaking for the first time about his decision to quit, Edward told 'Woman's Own' magazine recently he had 'a whole series of reasons' for leaving the Marines and denied it had anything 'to do with the physical side.'
'It was a very agonizing decision,' he said. 'Four years ago I wanted to be a marine. But having got there I changed my mind and decided that the services generally -- not just the Royal Marines -- was not the career I wanted.'