Prince Edward Will Announce Decision on Marines Next Week

Prince Edward, a “weeping wimp of Windsor” to critics but a winner to admirers, said today he will announce next week whether he will defy family tradition and quit the Royal Marines.

Edward, 22, the third and youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, was granted leave Wednesday to spend the rest of the week at his family’s holiday home at Sandringham north of London to argue the issue with his parents and eldest brother, Prince Charles.

Edward told reporters at Sandringham today that he plans to return to base Sunday and will announce his decision Monday whether to remain in the elite fighting force or to quit without completing his training course.

“Would you please now go away,” he told reporters.

Speculation mounted as to the reason for his desire to quit. The prince--fifth in line to the British throne--was described by one sympathetic newspaper as “the most sensitive and intelligent of the queen’s children.”