Full title: Her Royal Highness The Princess Edward, Countess of Wessex, Countess of Forfar, Viscountess Severn, Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Dame of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.
Known as: HRH Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Name at birth: Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones
Date of birth: 20/01/1965
Did you know?... The Countess took part in a sponsored bike ride for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Trust.
The Countess of Wessex is a most beloved member of the royal family. Dedicated, stylish, and with great people skills, she certainly is an asset to the royal family. Sophie quietly goes about her business, and everyone who meets her is taken with her grace, elegance, and friendliness. The Countess married into the royal family in 1999, at the end of a decade that had been extremely tough for the royal family. The 90’s had seen the divorces of three of the Queen’s children, a fire at Windsor Castle, and the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales. I imagine it was with some trepidation that Sophie accepted the marriage proposal of Prince Edward, knowing that being a member of the royal family is not easy.
The Countess, at first, continued with her day job, just as her husband, the Earl of Wessex continued with his day job, instead of them becoming full time working royals. This has given Sophie the common touch. She comes from a middle class background, being raised by her parents in Kent. However, she can trace her ancestry back to King Henry IV of England, and is related to the Viscount Molesworths. Sophie trained as a secretary, and worked in Public Relations for numerous firms. She met Prince Edward at a charity tennis match whilst she was working for Capital Radio. They began dating in 1993. Perhaps because of his brothers and sister’s experiences, the Prince dated Sophie for 6 years before they became engaged and got married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Their wedding was a low-key affair by royal standards, breaking the mould of tradition by having a ceremony and evening reception, with no daytime reception. The guests wore evening dress to the ceremony, with the stipulation of no hats. This set the tone for the work and loves of the Wessex’s: understated and simple.
In 2001 the Countess suffered from an ectopic pregnancy, and had to have an operation at hospital. She recovered and has had two children, Lady Louise Windsor in 2003, and James, Viscount Severn, in 2007. Both were born by caesarean section, with Lady Louise born prematurely due to a placental abruption. The Lady Louise was born with esotropia, but had treatment in 2006 and then in 2013 to attempt to correct the problem. The Countess is believed to have been uneasy with her daughter undergoing treatment.
The Wessex family are very close to the Queen, spending much time with her, and all enjoy time at Windsor, Balmoral, and Sandringham with the Queen. They often go riding together. The Countess in particular has worked hard to maintain a close relationship with her mother-in-law, and I believe they are very close. Now a full time working royal, the Countess holds many patronages and is patron of many charities including Girlguiding UK, Southampton General Hospital, and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. In more recent times, the Countess has worked extensively with Women, Peace and Security (WPS) to end violence towards women and increase education opportunities for women and girls. The Countess also aims to end preventable blindness in babies across the world.
The Countess now undertakes solo trips abroad, representing the Queen, and has worked in many commonwealth countries. Reliable, enthusiastic, and dedicated, the Countess continues to make a positive difference. Sophie has been praised for her style and elegance, which has evolved over time, making her one of the best dressed royals.
I think the secret to the Countess’s success is her stable upbringing and family life, her self-assurance, and genuine desire to help others. She aims to like and be liked by everyone, and is equally at home meeting foreign world leaders, or volunteering at her local foodbank. I think the royal family, the country, and commonwealth, are lucky to have her.
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