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Queen’s remark about Sophie that showed what royals thought of her with ‘our Ed’
SOPHIE Wessex and Prince Edward have just returned from a triumphant royal tour in Nepal, where they appeared loved up and spoke of the secrets to their 25-year marriage. And it turns out that Soph…
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SOPHIE Wessex and Prince Edward have just returned from a triumphant royal tour in Nepal, where they appeared loved up and spoke of the secrets to their 25-year marriage.
And it turns out that Sophie didn't just win the Duke of Edinburgh's heart, but she also received a gushing comment from the late Queen too.
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The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh beamed together on their recent Nepal tripCredit: Getty16
The couple loCredit: Getty16
A royal expert has shared how the late Queen felt Sophie Wessex was 'good for our Ed'Credit: AFPRoyal author Phil Dampier revealed that Her Majesty felt that Sophie, who turned 60 in January, was well matched with her son, also 60, due to her dependable and "charismatic” personality.
Phil told Fabulous: "The late Queen once said that Sophie was 'good for our Ed' and that’s so true.
“She has brought out the best of him and he is now much more popular than when he was younger.
“But she is very much the more charismatic partner and she is treasured by her 70 odd patronages, with more to come.”
More on Sophie WessexFollowing King Charles and Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis, Sophie has been more than capable of picking up the slack.
Phil continued: "As a heavy burden falls on The King and Queen and William and Kate, they are being well supported by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
“Sophie has become a star in her own right, and the recent pictures of her to mark her 60th birthday showed her as relaxed, confident and keen to contribute a lot more.
“She is sophisticated and glamorous, but not a show-off, and she has become more elegant with age.
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“She outshines her husband Prince Edward but the good thing is that he doesn’t seem to mind.”
The royal mentor who secretly shops for Kate Middleton’s jeans, leaves her in ‘fits of giggles’ & has been a 'tower of strength' during her cancer treatmentWhen Kate stepped back from public life, Sophie was the first to take on some of her engagements.
A senior royal source said: “That sort of pragmatism, a genuine desire to help and support someone who has been knocked off kilter, is pure Sophie.
“It really helped William and Kate, obviously in a practical way, but also knowing Sophie could always be relied upon to give her support whenever it was needed.”
The Queen’s youngest son, Prince Edward popped the question to PR executive Sophie in the Bahamas, five years after they started dating.
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Sophie and Edward tied the knot at St George's Chapel, Windsor, in 1999Credit: GettyHaving tied the knot in 1999 at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle - where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry got married - they celebrated their 25th anniversary last year.
During their Nepal trip, which followed in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip who visited Nepal in 1986, the couple looked just as smitten as they had on their wedding day.
While joking competitively over who would plant a ceremonial tree, Prince Edward - the only child of the Queen to not have divorced - spoke about the secrets to the success of their 25-year marriage.
“We’re best friends,” he said.
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Sophie and Edward had banter over who was going to plant a tree on their recent Nepal tripCredit: AP16
Sophie and Edward celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last yearCredit: Splash16
Sophie and Edward with their two children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount SevernCredit: GettySophie added: “That’s true. There’s always got to be humour. Especially when you’re travelling and you’ve got no idea what’s about to happen. You’ve got to laugh.”
She added they are “always” competitive, even while walking up hills.
Speaking of the tree planting, Edward said: “There was a wonderful confusion because they wanted us both to plant the tree but Sophie was then going to go and plant a rhododendron.
"Well, hang on a minute, if you’re going to plant the rhododendron I should plant the tree — there was a lot of banter going on."
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This new photo was released in honour of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh's 60th birthday in JanuaryCredit: PAPhil added that the King trusts the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh to do more overseas visits and "fly the flag for the UK."
He continued: “Sophie has done excellent work highlighting the sexual abuse of women and children in war zones but she hasn’t tried to copy Princess Diana and has done it in her own way.
“She is a good listener and obviously cares deeply about the people she meets, often being moved to tears.
“The King is delighted with their work and rates Sophie highly.
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Sophie and Kate have struck up a strong friendship over the yearsCredit: Jasonpix16
Sophie offered a supportive hand to Princess Kate on Remembrance SundayCredit: PA“She was incredibly close to the late Queen and Prince Philip and Charles was always grateful for that.
“He views them as vital working royals who can be trusted to get on with the job.
“They are helping to prop up the royal family at a difficult time and I can see a greater role for them in the future.”
Not only is Sophie trusted by King Charles, but Princess Kate is said to have found a 'tower of strength' in the Duchess of Edinburgh as she supported her throughout her cancer diagnosis.
The Duchess of Edinburgh was seen placing a supportive hand on the Princess of Wales' back as they left a balcony after the Remembrance Sunday service.
And that support was extended to the Wales’s children, with ‘Aunt Sophie’ arranging picnics and playdates at Bagshot for George, Louis and Charlotte, during the times when Kate needed to rest after her debilitating sessions of chemotherapy.
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Edward is the only child of the late Queen who has not been divorcedCredit: Getty16
The Duke of Edinburgh popped the question with a £105,000 two-carat oval diamond engagement ring from GarrardCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdKing Charles III’s youngest brother popped the question to Sophie with a £105,000 two-carat oval Garrard diamond engagement ring.
And it turns out the ring has a poignant tie to Princess Diana.
Her iconic sapphire engagement ring, which was surrounded by 14 round diamonds and set in white gold, was also from Garrard - and famously was used by Prince William when he proposed to Kate Middleton.
Prince Edward and his Sophie live largely out of the spotlight with their two children Lady Louise Windsor, 21, who is at the University of St Andrews, and James Viscount Severn, 17.
Sophie and Prince Edward's royal romance
They then began a romance in earnest, but went to great lengths to avoid photographers, especially when Sophie began staying overnight at Edward’s three-room apartment in Buckingham Palace. When calling Sophie at her office, the Prince would use the name Richard — not that he fooled her colleagues for long.
Six years after they started going out, Edward proposed, with a £105,000 ring from Crown jewellers Garrard.
Starting a family was not straightforward. In 2001 Sophie suffered an ectopic pregnancy.
In 2003, the birth of daughter Louise was similarly dramatic. The baby was a month premature and Sophie lost nine pints of blood, had a caesarean and was in hospital for 15 days. In 2007 she had another caesarean giving birth to son James.
Last summer, during the break before the second lockdown, Edward, Sophie and their children, now 17 and 13, were among the first to stay with the Queen and Philip at Balmoral, and the last to leave.
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Sophie and Edward live at Bagshot Park near WindsorCredit: GettyThe family live at £30million, 120-room Bagshot Park near Windsor and are a picture of domestic bliss compared to other royals.
Unlike the prince, Sophie comes from a humble beginning.
The daughter of a tyre salesman and a secretary, she was working in PR at Capital Radio when they met in 1987.
Edward was dating her friend at the time, but six years later they got together after a charity event.
Sophie continued to work for a few years after they got married before finally becoming a full-time royal in 2002, but clearly believes in instilling a strong work ethic in their kids, with Lady Louise having done shifts at a local garden centre.
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Sophie and Edward on their recent Nepal tourCredit: GettyFormer BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told Fabulous: “Sophie has metamorphosed from a girl next door to a royal duchess, but she has never lost her innate likeability or her sense of the normal, even amongst the pomp of state banquets
“She earned the respect and love of the late Queen and they became especially close after Sophie’s mother died of cancer.
"Elizabeth regarded her more as a daughter than a daughter in law and they spent hours together at Windsor, often watching old films or studying military history.”
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King Charles is said to trust Sophie and Edward with royal toursCredit: GettyJennie recalled her first meeting with Sophie when she was Edward’s girlfriend and said she has barely changed.
She added: “I was lunching at The Ritz with one of the Queen Mother’s ladies in waiting when I saw Sophie at a nearby table. I seized the moment and introduced myself which was probably very annoying for her, but she was charm personified, and we chatted for a few minutes.
READ MORE SUN STORIES"And I really don’t think she has changed much since then.
"Yes, she and Edward live in a mansion, have titles and huge privilege, but Sophie has known a life outside those cloistered palace walls and she has kept her sense of perspective.”
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Sophie has become a 'star in her own right' over the years, says PhilCredit: PA
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