Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh are one of the most rock-solid royal couples.
The pair celebrated 25 years of marriage on 19 June 2024 – but how did their love story begin? We answer all your burning questions here.
How old was Prince Edward when he met Sophie?
Prince Edward was 27 years old when he met his now-wife Sophie in 1987.
Sophie Rhys-Jones was 26 years old at the time.
How did Prince Edward and Sophie meet?
Romance didn’t immediately blossom for Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones when they first met at Capitol Radio in 1987.
In fact, Edward was actually dating Sophie’s friend at the time.
However, they reunited again at a charity event in 1993, and the rest is history.
At the time, Sophie was working as a public relations executive. She co-owned a public relations firm, RJH Public Relations, with her business partner.
After they began dating, rumours swirled that things were becoming serious for the couple as Prince Edward brought Sophie as his guest to royal events and weddings.
The pair were in no rush to settle down and tie the knot, and they dated for many years before announcing their engagement in January 1999.
Where and when did Sophie and Edward get married?
Prince Edward and Sophie were married on 19 June 1999 in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The ceremony was a relatively small affair and was less formal than most other royal weddings.
There was an intimate guest list and no military involvement at the service.
How many children do Prince Edward and Sophie have?
Edward and Sophie have two children together: one daughter and one son.
Lady Louise was born on 8 November 2003 and James, Earl of Wessex was born on 17 December 2007.
Sophie has previously spoken about wanting her children to live as normal lives as possible and thus chose not to give Louise and James royal titles, but rather noble titles instead.
In an interview with The Sunday Times in 2020, the Duchess Sophie said: “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”
Is Sophie a working royal?
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh is a working royal within the British royal family, and has stepped up even more in terms of attending engagements lately.
While King Charles is treated for cancer and Catherine, Princess of Wales recovers from abdominal surgery, Sophie is one of many royal women who has taken on more royal duties.
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