Life is not going well for Prince Edward. Not only has he spectacularly fallen out with his brother Prince Charles and nephew Prince William, but his TV company Ardent could be on the brink of collapse.

During a tour of Birmingham last week to promote the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme - his first public engagement since the row broke - he seemed sullen and stonewalled questions from journalists.

But there was more to come as, during a walkabout at Fairfax School in Sutton Coldfield, the BBC’s royal correspondent and occasional HELLO! royal reporter Jennie Bond asked the Prince if “he was going to make any more royal programmes”. Looking less than pleased, Edward replied: “I’m not going to say anything more. There is no point,” before turning to continue his chat with a group of children.

At the same time, press officer Andy Myatt jumped into action, trying to silence Ms Bond by putting his arm out to block the camera crew and ejecting journalists from the hall with the assertion that Buckingham Palace had said there would be no questions.

To read more about Prince Edward as he makes his first public appearance since the royal row, see this week’s HELLO! magazine, on sale now.