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We do not know whether he had brothers or not. Actually, I have always thought that Legolas was Thranduil's younger son, because he is never presented as his father's heir but a messenger from his father.
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Good hypothesis, there are many possibilities to this answer, however this is a good thought.
Here are some possibilities to the Messenger thing.
1) Your idea, Legolas had an older brother, and he actually wasn't Thranduil's "primary" heir.
2) I don't see why a King/Lord would send their heir, on a mission that they could possibly not return on. However, we see this a lot in LOTR. Boromir begged his father to go and Theodred died in battle. Maybe, Legolas begged Thranduil.
3) Thranduil simply didn't think it was something dangerous. Maybe he thought Legolas would give out the news, and then return home.
I will have to do some searching, but I don't believe Faramir was ever called an "heir," or any mention of him being "heir" until Boromir died.