THE decision to bestow the title of Earl and Countess of Wessex on Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones has perplexed some and delighted others.

After all, Wessex, which stretched from Hampshire to Devon, ceased to exist when the descendants of King Alfred the Great re-conquered the rest of England from the Danes in the tenth century.

But one Winchester academic was less surprised having spent time with Edward last year.

Dr Tom James, reader in history and archaeology at King Alfred's College, was interviewed by Edward last summer for a programme in the Prince's King and Country series.

Having already focused on Winchester's royal links, the earl's company Ardent Productions looked at Wiltshire including Stonehenge, Old Sarum, Wilton and Clarendon Palace near Salisbury, a medieval hunting lodge and a retreat for kings such as Henry II.

Dr James said: "He did have a wonderful afternoon in the woods at Clarendon. Edward was the first royal visitor there for half a millennium. We sat around eating World Cup cake from France which he got from the boot of his car.

"Edward took a great interest in the site. I have no idea whether he had any say in the title but he certainly got to know bits of Wessex that no other royals know at all.

"He showed a considerable knowledge and interest in Wessex," said Dr James.

The earl returned the praise, being quoted in the Avon Advertiser last November as saying: "Clarendon was the real gem of this programme, largely due to our interviewee Tom James."

The news of the new royal title has pleased tourism chiefs in Winchester keen to promote the city's royal heritage.

Fortuitously this year is the 1,100th anniversary of the death of King Alfred the man who built up Wessex in the ninth century.

Clive Wyatt, chief tourism officer at the city council, said: "We are delighted. Anything that raises our profile is good news. We are trying to build up the profile of Wessex with Winchester as its ancient capital."

Mr Wyatt revealed that the council would write to the Earl to see if he wants to take part in Winchester's "It's Time to Talk" series of events to mark the millennium.

He said: "The degree to which we can use this as a marketing tool will depend on Prince Edward's position himself. We will approach him to see if he wants to get involved. To have a high-profile speaker as Edward would be wonderful."

With the Americans taking a great interest in the royal wedding one potential for marketing is the internet which is hugely poplar in the USA. A person in Alaska can access the web and tap in 'Wessex' and almost instanta-neously begin to read about the region.

The bestowing of the earldom has been heralded as the rebirth of Wessex. But the ancient region has always had a strong presence. The novels of Thomas Hardy celebrated the region. In the Southampton and Winchester phone directory there are 120 companies with the word in their title.

The new Earl will hope for better luck than the last holder of the title. He was King Harold who was killed at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

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