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Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh

January 01, 1970

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (born Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, 20 January 1965) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest sibling of King Charles III.

Sophie
Duchess of Edinburgh (more)
Sophie in 2023
BornSophie Helen Rhys-Jones
(1965-01-20) 20 January 1965 (age 59)
Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, United Kingdom
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1999)​
Issue
HouseWindsor (by marriage)
FatherChristopher Rhys-Jones
MotherMary O'Sullivan
EducationWest Kent College
Signature

Sophie grew up at Brenchley, Kent, and later attended West Kent College, training as a secretary. She then worked in public relations, representing firms across the UK, Switzerland and Australia before opening her own agency in 1996. She met Edward in 1987 while working for Capital Radio; they began dating in 1993. Their engagement was announced in January 1999, and they married on 19 June at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The couple have two children: Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex, who are respectively sixteenth and fifteenth in line to the British throne as of 2024.

In 2002, Sophie closed her business interests and began full-time work as a member of the royal family. She is the patron of over 70 charities and organisations, including Childline and the London College of Fashion. She undertakes over 200 engagements each year, including visits to schools, universities and military bases.[1][2] Her charity work primarily revolves around people with disabilities, women's rights, avoidable blindness and agriculture.

Early life and career

Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones was born at Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, on 20 January 1965 into a middle-class family.[3][4][5] Her father, Christopher Bournes Rhys-Jones (born 1931), is a retired sales director for an importer of industrial tyres and rubber goods.[4] Her mother was Mary (née O'Sullivan; 1934–2005), a charity worker and secretary.[6][7] She has an elder brother, David (born 1963), and was named after her father's sister, Helen, who died in a riding accident in 1960. Her godfather, actor Thane Bettany, was her father's stepbrother; both men spent their early life in Sarawak, North Borneo, then a British Protectorate ruled by the White Rajahs.[8]

She descends from King Henry IV of England, and is related to the family of the Viscounts Molesworth through her grandmother, Margaret Patricia Rhys-Jones (née Molesworth; 1904–1985), who was the great-granddaughter of the Rev. John Molesworth, himself the father of Sir Guilford Molesworth and a great-grandson of Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth.[9][10]

Rhys-Jones was raised in a four-bedroom 17th-century farmhouse in Brenchley, Kent. She began her education at Dulwich Preparatory School, before moving on to Kent College, Pembury, where she was friends with Sarah Sienesi, with whom she subsequently shared a flat in Fulham and who later became her lady-in-waiting. Rhys-Jones then trained as a secretary at West Kent College, Tonbridge.[11]

She began a career in public relations, working for a variety of firms, including four years at Capital Radio,[12] where she was assigned to the press and promotions department, as well as public relations companies The Quentin Bell Organisation and MacLaurin Communications & Media.[13] She also worked as a ski representative in Switzerland and spent a year travelling and working in Australia. In 1996, Rhys-Jones launched her public relations agency, RJH Public Relations, which she ran with her business partner, Murray Harkin, for five years.[13][14]

Prior to her marriage, Rhys-Jones lived at Coleherne Court, London.[15]

Marriage and children

Further information: Wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones
 
Sophie and Edward at Trooping the Colour in London, June 2013

While working at Capital Radio, Rhys-Jones met Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, for the first time in 1987 when he was dating her friend.[16] She met him again at a promotion shoot for the Prince Edward Summer Challenge to raise money for charity in 1993, and the two began their relationship soon afterwards.[17][18] In December 1993 and amid growing speculation about whether they were planning to marry, Edward wrote a letter to newspaper editors, in which he denied any wedding plans and asked the media to respect their privacy.[19] Edward proposed to Rhys-Jones at a vacation in the Bahamas in December 1998 and their engagement was announced on 6 January 1999.[17][20] Edward proposed to her with an engagement ring featuring a two-carat oval diamond flanked by two heart-shaped gemstones set in 18-carat white gold. The ring was made by Asprey and Garrard (now Garrard & Co) and is worth an estimated £105,000.[21] Rhys-Jones, who was reportedly close to the Queen from the beginning of her relationship with Edward, was allowed to use the royal apartments at Buckingham Palace prior to her engagement.[22]

The wedding took place on 19 June 1999 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, a break from the weddings of Edward's older siblings, which were large, formal events at Westminster Abbey or St Paul's Cathedral.[23] On the day of their marriage, Prince Edward was created a hereditary peer as Earl of Wessex with the subsidiary title of Viscount Severn (derived from the Welsh roots of his wife's family).[24]

The couple spent their honeymoon at Balmoral Castle.[23] Following their union, the Earl and Countess of Wessex moved to Bagshot Park, their home in Surrey.[25] While their private residence is Bagshot Park, their office and official London residence is based at Buckingham Palace.[26]

In December 2001, Sophie was taken to the King Edward VII Hospital after feeling unwell. It was discovered that she was suffering from an ectopic pregnancy and the foetus had to be removed.[27] Two years later, on 8 November 2003, she prematurely gave birth to her daughter, Lady Louise, resulting from a sudden placental abruption that placed both mother and child at risk, and the Countess had to undergo an emergency caesarean section at Frimley Park Hospital, while the Earl of Wessex rushed back from Mauritius.[28] Sophie returned to Frimley Park Hospital on 17 December 2007, to give birth, again by caesarean section, to her son, James (then Viscount Severn, now Earl of Wessex).[29]

Public life

 
Sophie and Edward at the Queen's Birthday Parade in Gibraltar in 2012

Sophie's first overseas tour after her marriage was to the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island in 2000.[30]

In December 2011, the Countess of Wessex joined her husband visiting troops in Afghanistan. In February and March 2012, the Earl and Countess visited the Caribbean for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, visiting Saint Lucia, Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda. Highlights of the tour included the 50th Anniversary Independence Day celebrations in Saint Lucia, a joint address from both houses of the Barbados Parliament and a visit to sites affected by the recent volcanic eruptions in Montserrat.[31] In June 2012, as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Edward and Sophie, represented the Queen during a three-day tour to Gibraltar. The couple attended a Queen's Birthday Parade and toured Main Street, in the historic old town.[32]

In 2013, the couple visited South Africa. Later that year, the Countess made solo trips to India and Qatar as the patron of the sight-saving charity Orbis UK.[22][33][34] She made a similar visit to Bangladesh in November 2017.[35] Sophie, as Colonel-in-Chief of Corps of Army Music, visited The Countess of Wessex's String Orchestra at the Royal Artillery Barracks, in London. On 3 March 2014, the Queen approved the title of "The Countess of Wessex's String Orchestra" for the new Army String Orchestra in recognition of the Corps of Army Music's Colonel-in-Chief.[36] In November 2014, Sophie was in Zambia representing the Queen at the state funeral of the late president of Zambia, Michael Sata.[37]

 
Sophie attending the Royal Cheshire County Show in 2015

On 26 March 2015, Sophie attended the reburial of Richard III of England in Leicester Cathedral.[38] In May 2015, Sophie represented the Queen in the 70th anniversary celebrations to mark the Liberation Day of the Channel Islands. The Countess delivered a message from the Queen, who paid tribute to the island's continued allegiance and loyalty to the Crown.[39] She visited Canada and the United States in November 2015. While in Toronto, she criss-crossed across the city, making stops at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the UHN's Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital, of which she is patron. Sophie then travelled to New York City, paying an emotional visit to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Sophie also made an appearance at an Armistice Day service at the Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden, which was opened in commemoration of the 67 British victims of the attack. The Countess later attended the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Gala dinner in Manhattan.[40][41]

The Earl and Countess of Wessex toured Canada in June 2016, visiting Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. The couple visited a variety of places in and around Regina, Saskatchewan before attending the Globe Theatre's 50th anniversary gala.[42] In March 2017, Sophie embarked on a 4-day visit to Malawi as Vice-Patron of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, visiting programmes to end avoidable blindness and champion young leaders.[43] On 9 May 2017, the Countess attended King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway's 80th Birthday Celebrations on behalf of the royal family.[44] The Earl and Countess of Wessex represented the Queen at the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's Accession to the Throne of Brunei in October 2017.[45] On 30 November 2017, Sophie visited the 'Making for Change' fashion training and manufacturing unit, a fashion training and manufacturing unit established by the Ministry of Justice and London College of Fashion at HM Prison Downview as patron of the London College of Fashion During her visit, the Countess met staff and prisoners, including female inmates, and awarded participants with certificates as part of their training programme.[46][47]

 
Sophie at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast in 2018

An avid supporter of charities that deal with learning disabilities, Sophie made a solo trip to Belfast in January 2018 to visit a number of charities that she had supported through her work over the last decade, including Mencap's children's centre.[48] She also opened the new dementia-friendly unit of Northern Ireland Hospice, the first of its kind in the UK.[48] The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited Sri Lanka in February 2018 to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Independence, Sri Lanka–United Kingdom relations, the Commonwealth, education and young people.[49] In October 2018, Edward and Sophie toured the Baltic states.[50][51]

In March 2019, the Countess travelled to New York City to attend the 63rd session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The annual event brought together more than 9,000 gender equality representatives from around the world. The CSW is "the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women."[52] From 29 April to 3 May 2019, the Countess, Vice-Patron of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, visited India in her final overseas tour as vice-patron ahead of the Trust's planned closure in January 2020. Sophie saw the work the charitable foundation has supported to tackle avoidable blindness and heard about programmes successfully launched by Queen's Young Leaders.[53]

In July 2019, the Earl and Countess visited Forfar on their first official visit to the town since the Queen granted the Earl the additional title Earl of Forfar in March 2019.[54] Later in October, Sophie visited Kosovo to meet victims of sexual violence after the Kosovo War and their families.[55] By the end of 2019, Sophie had completed 236 official engagements.[17] In March 2020, Sophie became the first member of the royal family to visit South Sudan. During the visit, which was requested by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sophie met victims and survivors of gender-based violence and promoted their rights by meeting the female political leaders in the country.[56]

In January 2022, the Countess went on a solo visit to Qatar in her capacity as the global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) to support the organisation's '2030 in Sight' initiative and visit projects by the Qatar Fund and Orbis International aimed at improving eye tests and treatments in India and Bangladesh.[57] As a supporter of the Women Peace and Security Network she met with Afghan women refugees who had been evacuated from the country following the 2021 Taliban offensive.[57] In March 2022, Sophie went on a four-day solo trip to New York City, visiting the Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden and Consuls General from across the Commonwealth to mark the Commonwealth Day.[58] She also delivered the keynote address on women's rights in Afghanistan at an event hosted by the UN Women and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.[58]

In April 2022, Edward and Sophie toured Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Antigua and Barbuda to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.[59] Their planned visit to Grenada was postponed after talks with the island's government and governor general, and the couple expressed their hopes to visit the country on a later date.[60] In October 2022, she visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo to engage with projects preventing sexual and gender-based violence in conflict, becoming the first member of the royal family to visit the country.[61] The tour also included visits to Rwanda, Botswana, and Malawi.[62][63] After her husband was created Duke of Edinburgh on his 59th birthday, Sophie and Edward visited Edinburgh to meet with members of the Ukrainian and Eastern European communities in the city, some of whom were displaced following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[64] In May 2023, Sophie visited Iraq at the request of the Foreign Office to promote the Women, Peace and Security agenda and raise awareness about conflict-related sexual violence.[65] She became the first member of the royal family to visit Baghdad.[66]

Charity work and patronage

 
Sophie at the 2018 Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Film Festival. Much of her charity work involves women's rights.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex established their foundation The Wessex Youth Trust in 1999 to support initiatives and charities that help children and young people.[67] After twenty years of operation, the Wessex Youth Trust was renamed the Earl and Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust in 2019 and its management was transferred to the Private Office of the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar. It was announced that the Trust's broad charitable objectives would not change, however, their future efforts would be aimed towards supporting a different range of charities.[68]

In 2000, she became patron of a number of organisations, including Foundation of Light (formerly Sunderland A.F.C Foundation) which develops educational and community programmes in northern England, based around football.[69] Moved by the death of her friend Jill Dando in 1999, the Countess became a trustee of UCL Jill Dando Institute, an institute of crime science established in her name in 2001.[70] As a full-time member of the royal family, part of her focus became charities that dealt with communications difficulties, including Southampton General Hospital, and the New Haven Trust in Toronto, a learning centre for children with autism.[70] In 2003, she became patron of Tomorrow's People Trust, which helps the disadvantaged to find work, housing and a place in society.[70] In February 2003, Sophie became patron and ambassador of Meningitis Now, a charity that supports meningitis patients and raises awareness of the disease.[71] Later that month, she became patron to The Scar Free Foundation, a medical research charity coordinating funds in wound healing, burns and cleft research.[72] In 2003, she succeeded Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother as patron of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.[73]

Sophie, who was a Brownie as a child, became the new president of Girlguiding UK in 2003, following the death of Princess Margaret in February 2002.[74] She established the Women in Business Group in 2003 to support the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and reach more young people to help them develop skills that can transform their futures.[75] The Countess became president of the Brainwave Centre in 2003, a charity providing therapy for children with developmental delay.[76] In June 2003, she became patron of the Greater London Fund for the Blind, which raises funds for smaller charities for visually impaired people in London.[77] In August 2003, the Countess received patronage of the National Autistic Society, passed down from the Princess Royal.[78] In 2004, she joined St John Ambulance as grand president, and heads the work of St John's County Presidents, who provide a variety of support for their local St John members.[79] She was associated with ChildLine for many years, preceding her appointment as their first ever royal patron in 2005.[80] In 2006, she lent her support to the Born in Bradford research project, which investigated causes of low birth weight and infant mortality between 2007 and 2010.[81][82] In September 2006, she was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.[83] In the same year, she became patron of England Hockey.[84]

Sophie is a supporter of agriculture, farming and food production and held the position of show president of the Royal Bath and West Show in 2010 before becoming vice patron in 2011.[85] She is also patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations[86] and has been patron of the Border Union Agricultural Society since its bicentennial year in 2012.[87] Sophie works to support the 'Campaign for Wool', which was set up by the then-Prince of Wales, and aims to promote the use of British wool.[88] During her 2013 trips to India, and Qatar, the Countess visited numerous facilities in her capacity as patron of Vision 2020: The Right to Sight and ambassador for IAPB, in order to raise awareness about preventable blindness. Her work on the issue has been described as influential in creating the Qatar Creating Vision initiative.[33] In 2013, Sophie became the first ever patron of the London College of Fashion and was announced as the royal patron of British Wheelchair Basketball.[89][90] In June 2013, she was appointed global ambassador for the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Foundation, an umbrella body co-ordinating organisations running the Duke of Edinburgh's Award worldwide.[91] She has been the founder and chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Women's Network Forum since January 2014, whose goal is the advancement of gender balance and equality by influencing business leaders, inspiring the next generation and sharing best practice.[75] In June 2014, the Countess was appointed the patron of Ubunye Foundation, based in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, a rural development trust dedicated to unlocking the potential of rural communities.[92]

On Sophie's 50th birthday, she became vice patron of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, a charitable foundation established in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.[93] The trust was a time-limited foundation and closed on 31 January 2020.[94] In February 2015, the Queen gave a joint reception to celebrate the 50th birthdays of the Earl and Countess, as well as their patronages and affiliations, at Buckingham Palace. Elizabeth, accompanied by the couple, met key supporters, staff, volunteers and alumni from the charities of their patronage and presidency, as well as representatives from their various military appointments.[95] In November 2015, 100 Women in Hedge Funds announced that the Countess will serve as Global Ambassador of 100WF's Next Generation initiatives.[96] In September 2016, Sophie took part in a cycling challenge from the Holyrood Palace to Buckingham Palace for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Diamond Challenge. The ride raised more than £180,000 for the Award, which was celebrating its 60th anniversary.[97][98] Linking Environment And Farming named Sophie as its new honorary president in October 2016.[99] In November 2016, she was announced as Women of the Future's official ambassador, which supports and celebrates the successes of young women.[100] In December 2016, the Countess participated in ICAP charity day in order to raise money for Shooting Star Chase,[101] a children's hospice of which she is patron.[102] During the same month. after the Queen stepped down from her position as patron of numerous charities, Sophie replaced her as the principal patron of NSPCC, Blind Veterans UK and British Cycling Federation.[103][104][105]

The Countess of Wessex was elected president of the Devon County Agricultural Association in February 2017.[106] In May 2017, as patron of the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association Sophie attended its 90th anniversary and commemorative athlete awards dinner.[107] The Ice Maiden, five British Army women, received royal patronage from the Countess for their ambitious coast-to-coast ski expedition across Antarctica in October 2017. The team aimed to inspire women and girls everywhere to challenge perceptions and grow their ambitions.[108][109] In January 2018, Sophie became the Royal Patron of the Nursing Memorial Appeal. The Appeal aims to create a memorial dedicated to the 1,500 nurses who gave their lives in First and Second World Wars.[110] In February 2018, Westmorland Agricultural Society welcomed the Countess as its president.[111] In January 2019, Sophie became the patron of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, which saved her life during her ectopic pregnancy in 2001.[112] On 29 January, she was elected president of the Royal Smithfield Club, which promotes the education and knowledge to advance best practice in the meat and livestock industry.[113] On International Women's Day March 2019, Sophie officially announced her involvement in taking a stand against sex crimes in conflict zones, joining Angelina Jolie to work with the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) as well as Women, Peace and Security (WPS) formed 20 years ago to tackle the impact of armed conflict on women and girls, and to promote the positive role women play in building peace and stability.[114] On 25 April 2019, it was announced that the Countess, along with her husband and her brother-in-law, the Duke of York, have each been appointed vice president of the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show.[115] In May 2019, she took over the patronage of the Chartered Management Institute from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[116]

 
Sophie receiving the 2022 Hillary Rodham Clinton Award at Georgetown University in Washington, DC

In April 2020, the Countess helped Rhubarb, a catering company, in preparing and delivering food to NHS staff amidst the coronavirus pandemic, an initiative organised by Ian Wace.[117] Sophie has also volunteered at local food banks, including the Hope Hub and the Lighthouse, in Surrey and delivered parcels to the homeless during the pandemic.[118] In September 2020, Sophie, alongside her husband and children, participated in the Great British Beach Clean at Southsea Beach in support of the Marine Conservation Society.[119][120]

In February 2021, as grand president of St John Ambulance, the Countess started working as a care volunteer at an NHS vaccination centre.[121] In May 2021, Sophie become royal patron of Wellbeing of Women, a charity focused on all areas of women's reproductive health across a woman's life course, from menstrual health to menopause.[122] A patron of this charity, she later discussed her own struggles with menopause and how it affected her memory.[123] In July 2021, Princess Alexandra handed over the patronage of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association to Sophie.[124] In December 2022, Sophie was honoured at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, where she received the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for her work concerning sexual violence in war zones.[125]

Public image and style

At the start of her relationship with Prince Edward, Sophie was referred to as "the girl next door", and noted for her successful career and ordinary background.[126] In the early years of her marriage, Sophie faced public scrutiny for her business interests, and was often compared to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who had died two years earlier.[127][128][129] On her transition to becoming a full-time royal, she later stated: "Certainly it took me a while to find my feet. The frustration was I had to reduce my expectations of what I could actually do. I couldn't turn up at a charity and go, right, I think you should be doing this, because that's what I was used to doing in my working life. I had to take a really big step back and go, OK, they want you to be the icing on the cake, the person to come in to thank their volunteers and funders, not necessarily to tell them how to run their communications plan."[130]

Sophie has since been cited as an under-the-radar "stabilizing influence" and a "safe pair of hands".[130] She has been said to have a low-key approach to royal engagements, and often drives herself to and from events.[131] Amanda Pullinger stated to Town and Country, "She actually presents herself as an ordinary person and I think that is increasingly what the royal family needs to do."[132] She has also been noted for her long-term work on "gritty" subject matters such as gender-based violence in conflict, and trips to "difficult areas", such as South Sudan and Sierra Leone.[131][133] The Countess's engagements gained significant attention from the public post-Megxit, with her charity work and style choices receiving increased commentary and analysis.[134][135] Writer Ingrid Seward states that Sophie "is not a self-publicist....She looks good, without being over-the-top, and she's not craving celebrity. You often wouldn't know she had carried out all those engagements."[136]

Sophie was not initially prominent for her fashion, but eventually began to develop her own style and has worn outfits by many notable designers.[137] She has exclusively worn Jane Taylor millinery designs since 2009 on numerous occasions.[138] In a Marie Claire interview, Taylor described her first royal commission: "My first royal client was the Countess of Wessex, and it was quite nerve-racking. But she wears such lovely clothes and she always looks so fabulous, so it's quite easy to design for her. Since she came to see me, she's never worn any other milliner's hats, which is a big compliment. I was really excited, honored, and slightly nervous."[139] Alongside the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex, Sophie has been named one of the most stylish members of the royal family.[137][140] Sophie is particularly known for wearing different combinations of hats and coats, and favours silk dresses and frocks.[140] Describing her style in an interview by Sunday Express Sophie said: "It's about my charities, but I recognize that I'm on display. [...] When you walk into a room, yes, people are going to talk about what you're doing there, but they're also going to want to know what you're wearing".[141] She also revealed that she has never had a stylist of her own and that she makes her fashion choices herself.[142] In 2015, the Countess was named on Vanity Fair's Best Dressed List.[143] Together with the then-Duchess of Cambridge, Sophie hosted the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange reception at Buckingham Palace during the 2018 London Fashion Week.[144]

Privacy and the media

Violation of privacy

In May 1999, less than a month before her wedding, The Sun published a photo of a topless Sophie with her Capital Radio colleague Chris Tarrant, which was taken during a business trip to Spain in 1988.[145][146][147] Buckingham Palace immediately issued a statement saying, "This morning's story in The Sun is a gross invasion of privacy and cannot be regarded as in the public interest. It has caused considerable distress."[145][147] Prime Minister Tony Blair also condemned the publication of the photograph.[145][146] The Palace made an official complaint to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).[145][146] According to Sophie's business partner the incident had left her "distressed", and she was reportedly "devastated" and felt "she was 'letting the side down' before her wedding".[145][147][148] Tarrant later said, "There was never, ever the slightest hint of romance between Sophie and myself, let alone these snidey insinuations."[145] Following its publication, the newspaper issued a statement and apologised to Rhys-Jones[145] and the next issue came out with the headline "Sorry, Sophie".[146] It also said that it would again apologise to Sophie in a letter and donate all sale proceeds of the issue to her charities.[146][149] The photo was sold to the tabloid by Kara Noble, a former friend and colleague of Sophie.[145][146] Noble later apologised in the following months saying, "I just want to say sorry to everyone who was involved."[150] Both she and the newspaper faced criticism from the public,[145] and Noble was fired from her job at Heart 106.2 FM.[147] The couple later decided not to make a formal complaint.[149]

In 2011, close associates of Jonathan Rees, a private investigator connected to the News International phone hacking scandal, stated that he had penetrated Sophie and Edward's bank accounts and sold details about them to the Sunday Mirror.[151]

Media sting

In April 2001, Sophie appeared in the media after she was misled in a meeting at the Dorchester by a News of the World reporter posing as an Arab sheikh, Mazher Mahmood,[152][153] who was later exposed for perjury in Southwark Crown Court.[154] It was claimed by the newspapers that during their "secretly taped" conversation, the Countess had insulted the royal family and politicians, calling the Queen "old dear" and criticising the leadership of prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown.[152][153][155] She also reportedly commented on Prince Charles's relationship with his then-partner Camilla, arguing that a marriage would not be possible as long as the Queen Mother was alive.[155] However, despite some initial reports, the paper acquitted her of referring to Cherie Blair as "absolutely horrid" and mocking Leader of the Opposition William Hague's appearance.[156] Murray Harkin, Sophie's business partner who was also present at the meeting, was recorded discussing his sex life and cocaine use and boasting about Sophie's abilities in securing celebrities for various events.[156] Tabloid newspapers claimed the Countess had sent apology letters to Blair, Hague and Prince Charles.[152]

Buckingham Palace denied the accuracy of the reports, saying: "The Countess of Wessex, who is trying to pursue her own career, is obviously vulnerable to set-ups such as this."[152] The Palace released a statement saying the reported comments were "selective, distorted and in several cases, flatly untrue".[152] The Palace officials stated that Sophie had not insulted the Queen, the Queen Mother, or the politicians, while according to the Mail on Sunday four reliable sources had confirmed these reports.[152] The News of the World attributed the negative reactions to the jealousy of the rival media, as the outlet had previously conducted an interview with Sophie in which she addressed the rumours about her difficulties in marriage and discussed her husband's sexuality.[152] Sophie had reportedly agreed to the intimate interview on the condition that the newspaper would not publish transcript of the tapes.[157][158] In a separate statement Sophie said she was "distressed by the carrying out of an entrapment operation" on her, but also regretted her "own misjudgment in succumbing to that subterfuge".[156] Subsequently, in 2002, both the Earl and Countess announced that they would quit their business interests in order to focus on activities and official engagements on behalf of the royal family and aid the Queen in her Golden Jubilee year.[159]

Jewellery gifts

The Countess of Wessex was criticised for accepting two sets of jewels from the royal family of Bahrain during an official day-long[160] visit to the country in December 2011, as she and her husband returned to the UK from a trip to Afghanistan. She was given one set by Bahrain's king and a second set by the country's prime minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Her husband, the Earl, received a pen and a watch as well as a silk rug from the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who also gave Sophie a silver and pearl cup. The value of the jewellery has not been estimated and its precise contents were not disclosed.[161] Given concern about human rights abuses in Bahrain, this gift attracted controversy, with calls for the jewels to be sold, and the proceeds used for the benefit of the Bahraini people.[162]

Critics said the Countess should sell the gems and give the proceeds to political protesters in Bahrain. Denis MacShane, then a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) and previously a Foreign Office minister, said: "Given the appalling suffering and repression of the Bahraini people, it would be a fitting gesture for the Countess of Wessex to auction these trinkets and distribute the proceeds to the victims of the regime."[161]

Royal family guidelines and procedures relating to gifts, published by the government in 2003, state that "before accepting any gift, careful consideration should always be given, wherever practicable, to the donor, the reason for and occasion of the gift and the nature of the gift itself ... Equally, before declining the offer of a gift, careful consideration should be given to any offence that might be caused by such action."[160]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

Sophie was styled as "Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex" from her marriage in 1999 to 2023. On 10 March 2019, her husband was created Earl of Forfar, according her the title by courtesy of Countess of Forfar.[163] She was at times referred to as the Countess of Wessex and Forfar, such as at the funerals of her father-in-law and mother-in-law.[164][165] Since 10 March 2023, when her husband was advanced as Duke of Edinburgh (for life), she has been known as "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh".[166]

Honours

See also: List of honours of the British royal family by country

Foreign

Honorary military appointments

 
In Honorary Air Commodore combat dress on a visit to Kandahar in 2011
  Canada
  United Kingdom

Honorific eponyms

  • The Countess of Wessex Cup, an annual competition which sees regiments and military organisations affiliated with Sophie compete against each other in a series of challenges[182]
  • The rose cultivar Rosa 'Countess of Wessex' was named in her honour in 2004.[183][184]

Arms

Coat of arms of the Duchess of Edinburgh
 
Notes
The Duchess bears the arms of her husband impaled with her father's. Prior to marrying Prince Edward her father Christopher Rhys-Jones had arms redesigned by Sir Peter Gwynn-Jones, Garter King of Arms, based on a 200-year-old family blazon never previously recognised. The new grant of arms included a remainder to Christopher's elder brother Theo Rhys-Jones and issue. About her new family coat of arms, Sophie is quoted saying: "It's wonderful, I'm absolutely thrilled", "It's not modern and different, because it is representative of my family's heritage, so it's in keeping with that."[185]
Adopted
1999
Coronet
Coronet of a child of the Sovereign.
Escutcheon
Quarterly, 1st and 4th Gules three Lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langed Azure, 2nd Or a Lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure within a Double Tressure flory counterflory of the Second, 3rd Azure a Harp Or stringed Argent, the whole differenced with a Label of three Points Argent with the central Point charged with a Tudor Rose (Royal Arms differenced for Prince Edward); impaled with a Shield quarterly Gules and Azure a Lion rampant regardant within an Orle Or (for Rhys-Jones).
Supporters
Dexter, a Lion rampant gardant Or crowned with the Coronet of the rank of a child of the Sovereign Proper; Sinister, a Wyvern Azure gorged with a Coronet Or composed of Crosses pattées and Fleurs-de-lis a Chain affixed also Or.
Motto
CAS GŴR NI CHÂR Y WLAD A'I MACO
(Welsh: Hateful the man who loves not the country that nurtured him)
Orders
Surrounding the Shield, the Royal Victorian Order circlet inscribed with its motto: VICTORIA;
Behind the Shield, the Badge of the Order of St John:
Maltese Cross (optional).
Other elements
In Chief, as an augmentation of honour, the arms of the Order of St John (for GCStJ);
GCVO insignia suspended below the Shield (optional).
Symbolism
The Duchess's family arms allude to her family's Welsh heritage and one of her noble ancestors the warrior Elystan Glodrydd, Prince of Ferrig (represented by the lion). Red and blue are the regimental colours of the Royal Fusiliers, in which members of her family have served.[185] The wyvern is a symbol of Wessex, appropriate to the earldom of Wessex (now a subsidiary title).[186]
Previous versions
 
Previous versions were depicted superimposed upon the Badge of the Order of St John (as DJStJ) until 2010, when she was appointed GCVO.
Prior to her marriage, Sophie Rhys-Jones bore her father's arms on a lozenge.

Authored articles

  • HRH The Countess of Wessex (10 October 2013). "World Sight Day: Blindness is a matter of life and death". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  • HRH The Countess of Wessex (7 March 2019). "Why I'm joining the fight to end the silence around women in conflict". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  • HRH The Countess of Wessex (31 October 2020). "Women are the unsung heroes of peacebuilding". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.

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January 01, 1970
sophie, duchess, edinburgh, born, sophie, helen, rhys, jones, january, 1965, member, british, royal, family, married, prince, edward, duke, edinburgh, youngest, sibling, king, charles, sophieduchess, edinburgh, more, sophie, 2023bornsophie, helen, rhys, jones,. Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh born Sophie Helen Rhys Jones 20 January 1965 is a member of the British royal family She is married to Prince Edward Duke of Edinburgh the youngest sibling of King Charles III SophieDuchess of Edinburgh more Sophie in 2023BornSophie Helen Rhys Jones 1965 01 20 20 January 1965 age 59 Radcliffe Infirmary Oxford United KingdomSpousePrince Edward Duke of Edinburgh m 1999 wbr IssueLady Louise Mountbatten Windsor James Mountbatten Windsor Earl of WessexHouseWindsor by marriage FatherChristopher Rhys JonesMotherMary O SullivanEducationWest Kent CollegeSignature Sophie grew up at Brenchley Kent and later attended West Kent College training as a secretary She then worked in public relations representing firms across the UK Switzerland and Australia before opening her own agency in 1996 She met Edward in 1987 while working for Capital Radio they began dating in 1993 Their engagement was announced in January 1999 and they married on 19 June at St George s Chapel Windsor Castle The couple have two children Lady Louise Mountbatten Windsor and James Mountbatten Windsor Earl of Wessex who are respectively sixteenth and fifteenth in line to the British throne as of 2024 update In 2002 Sophie closed her business interests and began full time work as a member of the royal family She is the patron of over 70 charities and organisations including Childline and the London College of Fashion She undertakes over 200 engagements each year including visits to schools universities and military bases 1 2 Her charity work primarily revolves around people with disabilities women s rights avoidable blindness and agriculture Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Marriage and children 3 Public life 4 Charity work and patronage 5 Public image and style 6 Privacy and the media 6 1 Violation of privacy 6 2 Media sting 6 3 Jewellery gifts 7 Titles styles honours and arms 7 1 Titles and styles 7 2 Honours 7 2 1 Foreign 7 2 2 Honorary military appointments 7 2 3 Honorific eponyms 7 3 Arms 8 Authored articles 9 References 10 External linksEarly life and careerSophie Helen Rhys Jones was born at Radcliffe Infirmary Oxford on 20 January 1965 into a middle class family 3 4 5 Her father Christopher Bournes Rhys Jones born 1931 is a retired sales director for an importer of industrial tyres and rubber goods 4 Her mother was Mary nee O Sullivan 1934 2005 a charity worker and secretary 6 7 She has an elder brother David born 1963 and was named after her father s sister Helen who died in a riding accident in 1960 Her godfather actor Thane Bettany was her father s stepbrother both men spent their early life in Sarawak North Borneo then a British Protectorate ruled by the White Rajahs 8 She descends from King Henry IV of England and is related to the family of the Viscounts Molesworth through her grandmother Margaret Patricia Rhys Jones nee Molesworth 1904 1985 who was the great granddaughter of the Rev John Molesworth himself the father of Sir Guilford Molesworth and a great grandson of Robert Molesworth 1st Viscount Molesworth 9 10 Rhys Jones was raised in a four bedroom 17th century farmhouse in Brenchley Kent She began her education at Dulwich Preparatory School before moving on to Kent College Pembury where she was friends with Sarah Sienesi with whom she subsequently shared a flat in Fulham and who later became her lady in waiting Rhys Jones then trained as a secretary at West Kent College Tonbridge 11 She began a career in public relations working for a variety of firms including four years at Capital Radio 12 where she was assigned to the press and promotions department as well as public relations companies The Quentin Bell Organisation and MacLaurin Communications amp Media 13 She also worked as a ski representative in Switzerland and spent a year travelling and working in Australia In 1996 Rhys Jones launched her public relations agency RJH Public Relations which she ran with her business partner Murray Harkin for five years 13 14 Prior to her marriage Rhys Jones lived at Coleherne Court London 15 Marriage and childrenFurther information Wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys Jones nbsp Sophie and Edward at Trooping the Colour in London June 2013 While working at Capital Radio Rhys Jones met Prince Edward the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh for the first time in 1987 when he was dating her friend 16 She met him again at a promotion shoot for the Prince Edward Summer Challenge to raise money for charity in 1993 and the two began their relationship soon afterwards 17 18 In December 1993 and amid growing speculation about whether they were planning to marry Edward wrote a letter to newspaper editors in which he denied any wedding plans and asked the media to respect their privacy 19 Edward proposed to Rhys Jones at a vacation in the Bahamas in December 1998 and their engagement was announced on 6 January 1999 17 20 Edward proposed to her with an engagement ring featuring a two carat oval diamond flanked by two heart shaped gemstones set in 18 carat white gold The ring was made by Asprey and Garrard now Garrard amp Co and is worth an estimated 105 000 21 Rhys Jones who was reportedly close to the Queen from the beginning of her relationship with Edward was allowed to use the royal apartments at Buckingham Palace prior to her engagement 22 The wedding took place on 19 June 1999 at St George s Chapel Windsor Castle a break from the weddings of Edward s older siblings which were large formal events at Westminster Abbey or St Paul s Cathedral 23 On the day of their marriage Prince Edward was created a hereditary peer as Earl of Wessex with the subsidiary title of Viscount Severn derived from the Welsh roots of his wife s family 24 The couple spent their honeymoon at Balmoral Castle 23 Following their union the Earl and Countess of Wessex moved to Bagshot Park their home in Surrey 25 While their private residence is Bagshot Park their office and official London residence is based at Buckingham Palace 26 In December 2001 Sophie was taken to the King Edward VII Hospital after feeling unwell It was discovered that she was suffering from an ectopic pregnancy and the foetus had to be removed 27 Two years later on 8 November 2003 she prematurely gave birth to her daughter Lady Louise resulting from a sudden placental abruption that placed both mother and child at risk and the Countess had to undergo an emergency caesarean section at Frimley Park Hospital while the Earl of Wessex rushed back from Mauritius 28 Sophie returned to Frimley Park Hospital on 17 December 2007 to give birth again by caesarean section to her son James then Viscount Severn now Earl of Wessex 29 Public life nbsp Sophie and Edward at the Queen s Birthday Parade in Gibraltar in 2012 Sophie s first overseas tour after her marriage was to the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island in 2000 30 In December 2011 the Countess of Wessex joined her husband visiting troops in Afghanistan In February and March 2012 the Earl and Countess visited the Caribbean for the Queen s Diamond Jubilee visiting Saint Lucia Barbados Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Grenada Trinidad and Tobago Montserrat Saint Kitts and Nevis Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda Highlights of the tour included the 50th Anniversary Independence Day celebrations in Saint Lucia a joint address from both houses of the Barbados Parliament and a visit to sites affected by the recent volcanic eruptions in Montserrat 31 In June 2012 as part of the Queen s Diamond Jubilee celebrations Edward and Sophie represented the Queen during a three day tour to Gibraltar The couple attended a Queen s Birthday Parade and toured Main Street in the historic old town 32 In 2013 the couple visited South Africa Later that year the Countess made solo trips to India and Qatar as the patron of the sight saving charity Orbis UK 22 33 34 She made a similar visit to Bangladesh in November 2017 35 Sophie as Colonel in Chief of Corps of Army Music visited The Countess of Wessex s String Orchestra at the Royal Artillery Barracks in London On 3 March 2014 the Queen approved the title of The Countess of Wessex s String Orchestra for the new Army String Orchestra in recognition of the Corps of Army Music s Colonel in Chief 36 In November 2014 Sophie was in Zambia representing the Queen at the state funeral of the late president of Zambia Michael Sata 37 nbsp Sophie attending the Royal Cheshire County Show in 2015 On 26 March 2015 Sophie attended the reburial of Richard III of England in Leicester Cathedral 38 In May 2015 Sophie represented the Queen in the 70th anniversary celebrations to mark the Liberation Day of the Channel Islands The Countess delivered a message from the Queen who paid tribute to the island s continued allegiance and loyalty to the Crown 39 She visited Canada and the United States in November 2015 While in Toronto she criss crossed across the city making stops at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the UHN s Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital of which she is patron Sophie then travelled to New York City paying an emotional visit to the National September 11 Memorial amp Museum Sophie also made an appearance at an Armistice Day service at the Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden which was opened in commemoration of the 67 British victims of the attack The Countess later attended the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Gala dinner in Manhattan 40 41 The Earl and Countess of Wessex toured Canada in June 2016 visiting Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan and Alberta The couple visited a variety of places in and around Regina Saskatchewan before attending the Globe Theatre s 50th anniversary gala 42 In March 2017 Sophie embarked on a 4 day visit to Malawi as Vice Patron of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust visiting programmes to end avoidable blindness and champion young leaders 43 On 9 May 2017 the Countess attended King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway s 80th Birthday Celebrations on behalf of the royal family 44 The Earl and Countess of Wessex represented the Queen at the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah s Accession to the Throne of Brunei in October 2017 45 On 30 November 2017 Sophie visited the Making for Change fashion training and manufacturing unit a fashion training and manufacturing unit established by the Ministry of Justice and London College of Fashion at HM Prison Downview as patron of the London College of Fashion During her visit the Countess met staff and prisoners including female inmates and awarded participants with certificates as part of their training programme 46 47 nbsp Sophie at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast in 2018 An avid supporter of charities that deal with learning disabilities Sophie made a solo trip to Belfast in January 2018 to visit a number of charities that she had supported through her work over the last decade including Mencap s children s centre 48 She also opened the new dementia friendly unit of Northern Ireland Hospice the first of its kind in the UK 48 The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited Sri Lanka in February 2018 to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Independence Sri Lanka United Kingdom relations the Commonwealth education and young people 49 In October 2018 Edward and Sophie toured the Baltic states 50 51 In March 2019 the Countess travelled to New York City to attend the 63rd session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women CSW The annual event brought together more than 9 000 gender equality representatives from around the world The CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women 52 From 29 April to 3 May 2019 the Countess Vice Patron of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust visited India in her final overseas tour as vice patron ahead of the Trust s planned closure in January 2020 Sophie saw the work the charitable foundation has supported to tackle avoidable blindness and heard about programmes successfully launched by Queen s Young Leaders 53 In July 2019 the Earl and Countess visited Forfar on their first official visit to the town since the Queen granted the Earl the additional title Earl of Forfar in March 2019 54 Later in October Sophie visited Kosovo to meet victims of sexual violence after the Kosovo War and their families 55 By the end of 2019 Sophie had completed 236 official engagements 17 In March 2020 Sophie became the first member of the royal family to visit South Sudan During the visit which was requested by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Sophie met victims and survivors of gender based violence and promoted their rights by meeting the female political leaders in the country 56 In January 2022 the Countess went on a solo visit to Qatar in her capacity as the global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness IAPB to support the organisation s 2030 in Sight initiative and visit projects by the Qatar Fund and Orbis International aimed at improving eye tests and treatments in India and Bangladesh 57 As a supporter of the Women Peace and Security Network she met with Afghan women refugees who had been evacuated from the country following the 2021 Taliban offensive 57 In March 2022 Sophie went on a four day solo trip to New York City visiting the Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden and Consuls General from across the Commonwealth to mark the Commonwealth Day 58 She also delivered the keynote address on women s rights in Afghanistan at an event hosted by the UN Women and the Georgetown Institute for Women Peace and Security 58 In April 2022 Edward and Sophie toured Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua and Barbuda to mark the Queen s Platinum Jubilee 59 Their planned visit to Grenada was postponed after talks with the island s government and governor general and the couple expressed their hopes to visit the country on a later date 60 In October 2022 she visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo to engage with projects preventing sexual and gender based violence in conflict becoming the first member of the royal family to visit the country 61 The tour also included visits to Rwanda Botswana and Malawi 62 63 After her husband was created Duke of Edinburgh on his 59th birthday Sophie and Edward visited Edinburgh to meet with members of the Ukrainian and Eastern European communities in the city some of whom were displaced following the Russian invasion of Ukraine 64 In May 2023 Sophie visited Iraq at the request of the Foreign Office to promote the Women Peace and Security agenda and raise awareness about conflict related sexual violence 65 She became the first member of the royal family to visit Baghdad 66 Charity work and patronage nbsp Sophie at the 2018 Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Film Festival Much of her charity work involves women s rights The Earl and Countess of Wessex established their foundation The Wessex Youth Trust in 1999 to support initiatives and charities that help children and young people 67 After twenty years of operation the Wessex Youth Trust was renamed the Earl and Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust in 2019 and its management was transferred to the Private Office of the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar It was announced that the Trust s broad charitable objectives would not change however their future efforts would be aimed towards supporting a different range of charities 68 In 2000 she became patron of a number of organisations including Foundation of Light formerly Sunderland A F C Foundation which develops educational and community programmes in northern England based around football 69 Moved by the death of her friend Jill Dando in 1999 the Countess became a trustee of UCL Jill Dando Institute an institute of crime science established in her name in 2001 70 As a full time member of the royal family part of her focus became charities that dealt with communications difficulties including Southampton General Hospital and the New Haven Trust in Toronto a learning centre for children with autism 70 In 2003 she became patron of Tomorrow s People Trust which helps the disadvantaged to find work housing and a place in society 70 In February 2003 Sophie became patron and ambassador of Meningitis Now a charity that supports meningitis patients and raises awareness of the disease 71 Later that month she became patron to The Scar Free Foundation a medical research charity coordinating funds in wound healing burns and cleft research 72 In 2003 she succeeded Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother as patron of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists 73 Sophie who was a Brownie as a child became the new president of Girlguiding UK in 2003 following the death of Princess Margaret in February 2002 74 She established the Women in Business Group in 2003 to support the Duke of Edinburgh s Award and reach more young people to help them develop skills that can transform their futures 75 The Countess became president of the Brainwave Centre in 2003 a charity providing therapy for children with developmental delay 76 In June 2003 she became patron of the Greater London Fund for the Blind which raises funds for smaller charities for visually impaired people in London 77 In August 2003 the Countess received patronage of the National Autistic Society passed down from the Princess Royal 78 In 2004 she joined St John Ambulance as grand president and heads the work of St John s County Presidents who provide a variety of support for their local St John members 79 She was associated with ChildLine for many years preceding her appointment as their first ever royal patron in 2005 80 In 2006 she lent her support to the Born in Bradford research project which investigated causes of low birth weight and infant mortality between 2007 and 2010 81 82 In September 2006 she was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 83 In the same year she became patron of England Hockey 84 Sophie is a supporter of agriculture farming and food production and held the position of show president of the Royal Bath and West Show in 2010 before becoming vice patron in 2011 85 She is also patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations 86 and has been patron of the Border Union Agricultural Society since its bicentennial year in 2012 87 Sophie works to support the Campaign for Wool which was set up by the then Prince of Wales and aims to promote the use of British wool 88 During her 2013 trips to India and Qatar the Countess visited numerous facilities in her capacity as patron of Vision 2020 The Right to Sight and ambassador for IAPB in order to raise awareness about preventable blindness Her work on the issue has been described as influential in creating the Qatar Creating Vision initiative 33 In 2013 Sophie became the first ever patron of the London College of Fashion and was announced as the royal patron of British Wheelchair Basketball 89 90 In June 2013 she was appointed global ambassador for the Duke of Edinburgh s International Award Foundation an umbrella body co ordinating organisations running the Duke of Edinburgh s Award worldwide 91 She has been the founder and chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh s Award Women s Network Forum since January 2014 whose goal is the advancement of gender balance and equality by influencing business leaders inspiring the next generation and sharing best practice 75 In June 2014 the Countess was appointed the patron of Ubunye Foundation based in the Eastern Cape South Africa a rural development trust dedicated to unlocking the potential of rural communities 92 On Sophie s 50th birthday she became vice patron of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust a charitable foundation established in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth II s Diamond Jubilee 93 The trust was a time limited foundation and closed on 31 January 2020 94 In February 2015 the Queen gave a joint reception to celebrate the 50th birthdays of the Earl and Countess as well as their patronages and affiliations at Buckingham Palace Elizabeth accompanied by the couple met key supporters staff volunteers and alumni from the charities of their patronage and presidency as well as representatives from their various military appointments 95 In November 2015 100 Women in Hedge Funds announced that the Countess will serve as Global Ambassador of 100WF s Next Generation initiatives 96 In September 2016 Sophie took part in a cycling challenge from the Holyrood Palace to Buckingham Palace for the Duke of Edinburgh s Award Diamond Challenge The ride raised more than 180 000 for the Award which was celebrating its 60th anniversary 97 98 Linking Environment And Farming named Sophie as its new honorary president in October 2016 99 In November 2016 she was announced as Women of the Future s official ambassador which supports and celebrates the successes of young women 100 In December 2016 the Countess participated in ICAP charity day in order to raise money for Shooting Star Chase 101 a children s hospice of which she is patron 102 During the same month after the Queen stepped down from her position as patron of numerous charities Sophie replaced her as the principal patron of NSPCC Blind Veterans UK and British Cycling Federation 103 104 105 The Countess of Wessex was elected president of the Devon County Agricultural Association in February 2017 106 In May 2017 as patron of the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association Sophie attended its 90th anniversary and commemorative athlete awards dinner 107 The Ice Maiden five British Army women received royal patronage from the Countess for their ambitious coast to coast ski expedition across Antarctica in October 2017 The team aimed to inspire women and girls everywhere to challenge perceptions and grow their ambitions 108 109 In January 2018 Sophie became the Royal Patron of the Nursing Memorial Appeal The Appeal aims to create a memorial dedicated to the 1 500 nurses who gave their lives in First and Second World Wars 110 In February 2018 Westmorland Agricultural Society welcomed the Countess as its president 111 In January 2019 Sophie became the patron of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance which saved her life during her ectopic pregnancy in 2001 112 On 29 January she was elected president of the Royal Smithfield Club which promotes the education and knowledge to advance best practice in the meat and livestock industry 113 On International Women s Day March 2019 Sophie officially announced her involvement in taking a stand against sex crimes in conflict zones joining Angelina Jolie to work with the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative PSVI as well as Women Peace and Security WPS formed 20 years ago to tackle the impact of armed conflict on women and girls and to promote the positive role women play in building peace and stability 114 On 25 April 2019 it was announced that the Countess along with her husband and her brother in law the Duke of York have each been appointed vice president of the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show 115 In May 2019 she took over the patronage of the Chartered Management Institute from Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh 116 nbsp Sophie receiving the 2022 Hillary Rodham Clinton Award at Georgetown University in Washington DC In April 2020 the Countess helped Rhubarb a catering company in preparing and delivering food to NHS staff amidst the coronavirus pandemic an initiative organised by Ian Wace 117 Sophie has also volunteered at local food banks including the Hope Hub and the Lighthouse in Surrey and delivered parcels to the homeless during the pandemic 118 In September 2020 Sophie alongside her husband and children participated in the Great British Beach Clean at Southsea Beach in support of the Marine Conservation Society 119 120 In February 2021 as grand president of St John Ambulance the Countess started working as a care volunteer at an NHS vaccination centre 121 In May 2021 Sophie become royal patron of Wellbeing of Women a charity focused on all areas of women s reproductive health across a woman s life course from menstrual health to menopause 122 A patron of this charity she later discussed her own struggles with menopause and how it affected her memory 123 In July 2021 Princess Alexandra handed over the patronage of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association to Sophie 124 In December 2022 Sophie was honoured at the Georgetown Institute for Women Peace and Security where she received the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for her work concerning sexual violence in war zones 125 Public image and styleAt the start of her relationship with Prince Edward Sophie was referred to as the girl next door and noted for her successful career and ordinary background 126 In the early years of her marriage Sophie faced public scrutiny for her business interests and was often compared to the late Diana Princess of Wales who had died two years earlier 127 128 129 On her transition to becoming a full time royal she later stated Certainly it took me a while to find my feet The frustration was I had to reduce my expectations of what I could actually do I couldn t turn up at a charity and go right I think you should be doing this because that s what I was used to doing in my working life I had to take a really big step back and go OK they want you to be the icing on the cake the person to come in to thank their volunteers and funders not necessarily to tell them how to run their communications plan 130 Sophie has since been cited as an under the radar stabilizing influence and a safe pair of hands 130 She has been said to have a low key approach to royal engagements and often drives herself to and from events 131 Amanda Pullinger stated to Town and Country She actually presents herself as an ordinary person and I think that is increasingly what the royal family needs to do 132 She has also been noted for her long term work on gritty subject matters such as gender based violence in conflict and trips to difficult areas such as South Sudan and Sierra Leone 131 133 The Countess s engagements gained significant attention from the public post Megxit with her charity work and style choices receiving increased commentary and analysis 134 135 Writer Ingrid Seward states that Sophie is not a self publicist She looks good without being over the top and she s not craving celebrity You often wouldn t know she had carried out all those engagements 136 Sophie was not initially prominent for her fashion but eventually began to develop her own style and has worn outfits by many notable designers 137 She has exclusively worn Jane Taylor millinery designs since 2009 on numerous occasions 138 In a Marie Claire interview Taylor described her first royal commission My first royal client was the Countess of Wessex and it was quite nerve racking But she wears such lovely clothes and she always looks so fabulous so it s quite easy to design for her Since she came to see me she s never worn any other milliner s hats which is a big compliment I was really excited honored and slightly nervous 139 Alongside the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex Sophie has been named one of the most stylish members of the royal family 137 140 Sophie is particularly known for wearing different combinations of hats and coats and favours silk dresses and frocks 140 Describing her style in an interview by Sunday Express Sophie said It s about my charities but I recognize that I m on display When you walk into a room yes people are going to talk about what you re doing there but they re also going to want to know what you re wearing 141 She also revealed that she has never had a stylist of her own and that she makes her fashion choices herself 142 In 2015 the Countess was named on Vanity Fair s Best Dressed List 143 Together with the then Duchess of Cambridge Sophie hosted the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange reception at Buckingham Palace during the 2018 London Fashion Week 144 Privacy and the mediaViolation of privacy In May 1999 less than a month before her wedding The Sun published a photo of a topless Sophie with her Capital Radio colleague Chris Tarrant which was taken during a business trip to Spain in 1988 145 146 147 Buckingham Palace immediately issued a statement saying This morning s story in The Sun is a gross invasion of privacy and cannot be regarded as in the public interest It has caused considerable distress 145 147 Prime Minister Tony Blair also condemned the publication of the photograph 145 146 The Palace made an official complaint to the Press Complaints Commission PCC 145 146 According to Sophie s business partner the incident had left her distressed and she was reportedly devastated and felt she was letting the side down before her wedding 145 147 148 Tarrant later said There was never ever the slightest hint of romance between Sophie and myself let alone these snidey insinuations 145 Following its publication the newspaper issued a statement and apologised to Rhys Jones 145 and the next issue came out with the headline Sorry Sophie 146 It also said that it would again apologise to Sophie in a letter and donate all sale proceeds of the issue to her charities 146 149 The photo was sold to the tabloid by Kara Noble a former friend and colleague of Sophie 145 146 Noble later apologised in the following months saying I just want to say sorry to everyone who was involved 150 Both she and the newspaper faced criticism from the public 145 and Noble was fired from her job at Heart 106 2 FM 147 The couple later decided not to make a formal complaint 149 In 2011 close associates of Jonathan Rees a private investigator connected to the News International phone hacking scandal stated that he had penetrated Sophie and Edward s bank accounts and sold details about them to the Sunday Mirror 151 Media sting In April 2001 Sophie appeared in the media after she was misled in a meeting at the Dorchester by a News of the World reporter posing as an Arab sheikh Mazher Mahmood 152 153 who was later exposed for perjury in Southwark Crown Court 154 It was claimed by the newspapers that during their secretly taped conversation the Countess had insulted the royal family and politicians calling the Queen old dear and criticising the leadership of prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown 152 153 155 She also reportedly commented on Prince Charles s relationship with his then partner Camilla arguing that a marriage would not be possible as long as the Queen Mother was alive 155 However despite some initial reports the paper acquitted her of referring to Cherie Blair as absolutely horrid and mocking Leader of the Opposition William Hague s appearance 156 Murray Harkin Sophie s business partner who was also present at the meeting was recorded discussing his sex life and cocaine use and boasting about Sophie s abilities in securing celebrities for various events 156 Tabloid newspapers claimed the Countess had sent apology letters to Blair Hague and Prince Charles 152 Buckingham Palace denied the accuracy of the reports saying The Countess of Wessex who is trying to pursue her own career is obviously vulnerable to set ups such as this 152 The Palace released a statement saying the reported comments were selective distorted and in several cases flatly untrue 152 The Palace officials stated that Sophie had not insulted the Queen the Queen Mother or the politicians while according to the Mail on Sunday four reliable sources had confirmed these reports 152 The News of the World attributed the negative reactions to the jealousy of the rival media as the outlet had previously conducted an interview with Sophie in which she addressed the rumours about her difficulties in marriage and discussed her husband s sexuality 152 Sophie had reportedly agreed to the intimate interview on the condition that the newspaper would not publish transcript of the tapes 157 158 In a separate statement Sophie said she was distressed by the carrying out of an entrapment operation on her but also regretted her own misjudgment in succumbing to that subterfuge 156 Subsequently in 2002 both the Earl and Countess announced that they would quit their business interests in order to focus on activities and official engagements on behalf of the royal family and aid the Queen in her Golden Jubilee year 159 Jewellery gifts The Countess of Wessex was criticised for accepting two sets of jewels from the royal family of Bahrain during an official day long 160 visit to the country in December 2011 as she and her husband returned to the UK from a trip to Afghanistan She was given one set by Bahrain s king and a second set by the country s prime minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Her husband the Earl received a pen and a watch as well as a silk rug from the Crown Prince of Bahrain Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa who also gave Sophie a silver and pearl cup The value of the jewellery has not been estimated and its precise contents were not disclosed 161 Given concern about human rights abuses in Bahrain this gift attracted controversy with calls for the jewels to be sold and the proceeds used for the benefit of the Bahraini people 162 Critics said the Countess should sell the gems and give the proceeds to political protesters in Bahrain Denis MacShane then a Labour Member of Parliament MP and previously a Foreign Office minister said Given the appalling suffering and repression of the Bahraini people it would be a fitting gesture for the Countess of Wessex to auction these trinkets and distribute the proceeds to the victims of the regime 161 Royal family guidelines and procedures relating to gifts published by the government in 2003 state that before accepting any gift careful consideration should always be given wherever practicable to the donor the reason for and occasion of the gift and the nature of the gift itself Equally before declining the offer of a gift careful consideration should be given to any offence that might be caused by such action 160 Titles styles honours and armsTitles and styles Sophie was styled as Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex from her marriage in 1999 to 2023 On 10 March 2019 her husband was created Earl of Forfar according her the title by courtesy of Countess of Forfar 163 She was at times referred to as the Countess of Wessex and Forfar such as at the funerals of her father in law and mother in law 164 165 Since 10 March 2023 when her husband was advanced as Duke of Edinburgh for life she has been known as Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh 166 Honours See also List of honours of the British royal family by country nbsp 2002 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal 167 nbsp 2004 Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II 167 nbsp 2005 Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan 167 168 nbsp 2010 Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order GCVO 167 169 nbsp 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal 167 nbsp 2016 Canadian Forces Decoration CD nbsp 2017 Service Medal of the Order of St John 170 nbsp 2021 Service Medal of the Order of St John 171 with bar nbsp 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal 172 unreliable source nbsp 2022 Dame Grand Cross of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John GCStJ 173 2005 2022 Dame of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John DJStJ 174 nbsp 2023 King Charles III Coronation Medal 175 original research Foreign nbsp 9 September 2015 Sash of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle 176 nbsp 2017 Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal 45 177 Honorary military appointments nbsp In Honorary Air Commodore combat dress on a visit to Kandahar in 2011 nbsp Canada nbsp 2004 Colonel in Chief of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment 178 nbsp 2005 Colonel in Chief of the South Alberta Light Horse 167 nbsp United Kingdom nbsp 2003 Colonel in Chief of the Queen Alexandra s Royal Army Nursing Corps 167 179 nbsp 2005 Colonel in Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music 167 nbsp 2006 Lady Sponsor of HMS Daring 167 nbsp 2007 Royal Colonel of the 5th Battalion The Rifles 167 nbsp 2008 Honorary Air Commodore Royal Air Force Wittering 167 nbsp 2022 Colonel in Chief of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 180 nbsp 2023 Colonel in Chief of the Royal Irish Regiment 181 nbsp 2023 Royal Colonel of the Queen s Own Yeomanry 181 Honorific eponyms The Countess of Wessex Cup an annual competition which sees regiments and military organisations affiliated with Sophie compete against each other in a series of challenges 182 The rose cultivar Rosa Countess of Wessex was named in her honour in 2004 183 184 Arms Coat of arms of the Duchess of Edinburgh nbsp Notes The Duchess bears the arms of her husband impaled with her father s Prior to marrying Prince Edward her father Christopher Rhys Jones had arms redesigned by Sir Peter Gwynn Jones Garter King of Arms based on a 200 year old family blazon never previously recognised The new grant of arms included a remainder to Christopher s elder brother Theo Rhys Jones and issue About her new family coat of arms Sophie is quoted saying It s wonderful I m absolutely thrilled It s not modern and different because it is representative of my family s heritage so it s in keeping with that 185 Adopted 1999 Coronet Coronet of a child of the Sovereign Escutcheon Quarterly 1st and 4th Gules three Lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langed Azure 2nd Or a Lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure within a Double Tressure flory counterflory of the Second 3rd Azure a Harp Or stringed Argent the whole differenced with a Label of three Points Argent with the central Point charged with a Tudor Rose Royal Arms differenced for Prince Edward impaled with a Shield quarterly Gules and Azure a Lion rampant regardant within an Orle Or for Rhys Jones Supporters Dexter a Lion rampant gardant Or crowned with the Coronet of the rank of a child of the Sovereign Proper Sinister a Wyvern Azure gorged with a Coronet Or composed of Crosses pattees and Fleurs de lis a Chain affixed also Or Motto CAS GŴR NI CHAR Y WLAD A I MACO Welsh Hateful the man who loves not the country that nurtured him Orders Surrounding the Shield the Royal Victorian Order circlet inscribed with its motto VICTORIA Behind the Shield the Badge of the Order of St John Maltese Cross optional Other elements In Chief as an augmentation of honour the arms of the Order of St John for GCStJ GCVO insignia suspended below the Shield optional Symbolism The Duchess s family arms allude to her family s Welsh heritage and one of her noble ancestors the warrior Elystan Glodrydd Prince of Ferrig represented by the lion Red and blue are the regimental colours of the Royal Fusiliers in which members of her family have served 185 The wyvern is a symbol of Wessex appropriate to the earldom of Wessex now a subsidiary title 186 Previous versions nbsp Previous versions were depicted superimposed upon the Badge of the Order of St John as DJStJ until 2010 when she was appointed GCVO Prior to her marriage Sophie Rhys Jones bore her father s arms on a lozenge Authored articlesHRH The Countess of Wessex 10 October 2013 World Sight Day Blindness is a matter of life and death The Telegraph London Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 HRH The Countess of Wessex 7 March 2019 Why I m joining the fight to end the silence around women in conflict The Telegraph London Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 HRH The Countess of Wessex 31 October 2020 Women are the unsung heroes of peacebuilding The Telegraph London Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 References The Countess of Wessex The Royal Family 4 November 2015 Archived from the original on 26 January 2021 Retrieved 15 December 2020 2018 royal work statistics who s been busy who s been busier congrats Your Maj Maclean s Archived from the original on 18 January 2021 Retrieved 15 December 2020 Background The British Monarchy Royal Household Archived from the original on 21 October 2004 Retrieved 2 April 2020 a b How Sophie Countess of Wessex moved from being a career PR girl to a devoted Royal stalwart Tatler 8 June 2020 Archived from the original on 10 March 2021 Retrieved 3 March 2021 Sophie also came from a middle class family her mother a secretary and her father a sales director for a tyre company Prince Harry s Aunt Recalls Trying to Help Meghan Markle I Just Hope They Will Be Happy Entertainment Tonight Archived from the original on 10 March 2021 Retrieved 3 March 2021 Sophie 55 came from a middle class family and worked for a PR firm before she wed Prince Edward PR girl turns princess BBC 11 June 1999 Archived from the original on 28 January 2018 Retrieved 14 March 2018 Her father Christopher the son of a teacher is a retired salesman for a tyre maker Mrs Rhys Jones a charity worker and secretary has her own royal connection As a young woman she once danced with Prince Philip at a society ball Countess of Wessex s mother dies BBC 29 August 2005 Archived from the original on 23 October 2012 Retrieved 27 October 2008 Biography of Paul Bettany Archived 26 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Burke s Peerage Baronetage amp Knightage Archived 15 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine 107th edition volume 2 2003 pages 2720 2731 Sophie s Brush With Greatness Manchester Evening News 13 August 2007 Archived from the original on 26 August 2018 Retrieved 6 May 2020 The Countess of Wessex will come face to face with her great great great grandfather the Rev John Edward Nassau Molesworth her ancestor s his son solicitor s firm set up in 1840 by the Reverend s son solicitor John Molesworth PR girl turns princess BBC News 11 June 1999 Archived from the original on 13 January 2015 Retrieved 22 June 2013 Sun apologises to devastated Sophie Rhys Jones The Guardian 26 May 1999 Archived from the original on 18 January 2017 Retrieved 12 January 2017 a b Furness Hannah 2 July 2012 Countess of Wessex the Royal Family s latest style icon The Telegraph Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 12 January 2017 Lowrie Margaret 20 June 1999 How sensible and royal wedding add up to yawn CNN Archived from the original on 9 October 2016 Retrieved 12 January 2017 Colherne Court in 2006 21st Century Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Archived from the original on 8 May 2021 Retrieved 4 January 2023 Sophie Life in the spotlight BBC News 2 April 2001 Archived from the original on 6 February 2017 Retrieved 5 February 2017 a b c Hall Meares Hadley 15 July 2021 How Prince Edward and Sophie Evolved From P R Blunders to Become Key Frontline Royals Vanity Fair Archived from the original on 18 October 2021 Retrieved 7 April 2022 History Prince Edward s wedding pictures video facts amp news BBC Archived from the original on 20 January 2012 Retrieved 27 December 2011 Prince Edward asks British editors to respect his privacy UPI 21 December 1993 Retrieved 17 July 2022 Prince Edward announces his engagement BBC 24 November 2009 Archived from the original on 15 October 2018 Retrieved 12 April 2018 Crown jewels The fabulous rings which sealed the love of Europe s royal couples HELLO magazine UK Archived from the original on 23 March 2021 Retrieved 28 November 2012 a b Seward Ingrid 23 November 2013 Sophie Wessex The unsung star of the Royal family The Telegraph Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 a b Edward amp Sophie People 5 July 1999 Archived from the original on 11 March 2018 Retrieved 10 March 2018 Wessex titles for Edward and Sophie BBC News 19 June 1999 Archived from the original on 6 August 2020 Retrieved 3 May 2011 The Crown Estate Property Leases with the Royal Family Report National Audit Office United Kingdom 2005 Archived from the original on 5 April 2015 Retrieved 16 April 2015 Royal Residences Buckingham Palace royal uk 12 November 2015 Archived from the original on 9 May 2016 Retrieved 21 May 2018 Baby joy for Sophie and Edward BBC News 6 May 2003 Archived from the original on 5 May 2015 Retrieved 5 May 2015 Royal baby born prematurely BBC News 8 November 2003 Archived from the original on 24 February 2021 Retrieved 11 May 2010 Countess gives birth to baby boy BBC News 17 December 2007 Archived from the original on 13 November 2012 Retrieved 27 October 2008 Scott Burke Aimers John October 2001 Wessexs Tour a Triumph Canadian Monarchist News Autumn 2001 Monarchist League of Canada Archived from the original on 8 July 2009 Retrieved 27 October 2008 Harris Carolyn 15 February 2012 Royals of the Caribbean The 2012 Diamond Jubilee Commonwealth Tours Begin royalhistorian com Archived from the original on 9 July 2018 Retrieved 22 June 2013 Earl and Countess of Wessex greeted by overwhelming British patriotism in Gibraltar hellomagazine com 11 June 2012 Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 11 June 2012 a b Qatar Creating Vision initiative The Royal Family 31 March 2016 Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 Sophie Wessex brings joy to eye patients in India Hello 20 September 2013 Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 Shahid Sharnaz 21 November 2017 Sophie Wessex shows off her maternal side as she meets locals in Bangladesh Hello Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 12 March 2018 Lunchtime Concert The Countess of Wessex s String Orchestra classical music com Archived from the original on 28 May 2018 Retrieved 27 May 2018 Countess of Wessex arrives for Sata s funeral lusakavoice com 10 November 2014 Archived from the original on 12 November 2014 Retrieved 10 November 2014 Richard III Leicester Cathedral reburial service for king BBC 26 March 2015 Archived from the original on 21 August 2022 Retrieved 2 January 2016 Thousands turn out for Liberation Day celebration BBC News 9 May 2015 Archived from the original on 14 May 2015 Retrieved 9 May 2015 Sophie Countess of Wessex visits Toronto s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair ca hellomagazine com 13 November 2015 Archived from the original on 16 November 2015 Retrieved 13 November 2015 Sophie Wessex pays emotional visit to 9 11 memorial in New York ca hellomagazine com 12 November 2015 Archived from the original on 16 November 2015 Retrieved 12 November 2015 The Earl and Countess of Wessex visit Canada royal uk 28 June 2016 Archived from the original on 6 November 2016 Retrieved 28 June 2016 Trust Vice Patron to visit Malawi in Commonwealth Week to see the work of the Trust jubileetribute org Archived from the original on 15 March 2017 Retrieved 6 March 2017 Sophie Wessex makes glamorous appearance at royal birthday gathering hellomagazine com 10 May 2017 Archived from the original on 27 May 2018 Retrieved 10 May 2017 a b Edward amp Sophie attend Sultan of Brunei s Golden Jubilee celebrations thecrownchronicles co uk 5 October 2017 Archived from the original on 11 May 2018 Retrieved 10 May 2018 The Royal Family RoyalFamily 30 November 2017 Making for Change is a fashion training amp manufacturing unit established by the Ministry of Justice and London College of Fashion UAL in 2014 at HMP Holloway It moved to its new home of HMP Downview in summer 2016 Tweet via Twitter The Royal Family RoyalFamily 30 November 2017 The Countess met staff and prisoners including female inmate Trudy and awarded participants with certificates as part of their training programme Trudy received her ABC Level 1 Certificate in Fashion and Textiles Tweet via Twitter a b Sophie Countess of Wessex visits NI charities ITV 23 January 2018 Archived from the original on 13 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 The Earl and Countess of Wessex commemorate Sri Lanka s 70th Anniversary of Independence royal uk 7 February 2018 Archived from the original on 7 February 2018 Retrieved 7 February 2018 Kaljulaid UK has been Estonia s ally for 100 years ERR News 8 October 2018 Archived from the original on 8 October 2018 Retrieved 9 October 2018 The Earl and Countess of Wessex visit the Baltic States The Royal Family 5 October 2018 Archived from the original on 14 October 2018 Retrieved 13 October 2018 The Countess of Wessex attends the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN royal uk 13 March 2019 Archived from the original on 21 March 2019 Retrieved 13 March 2019 The Countess of Wessex will visit India royal co uk 23 April 2019 Archived from the original on 23 April 2019 Retrieved 23 April 2019 The Earl and Countess of Forfar visit Forfar royal uk July 2019 Archived from the original on 4 November 2021 Retrieved 1 July 2019 Sutcliffe Laura 17 October 2019 The Countess of Wessex looks like a film star in a pink Emilia Wickstead dress Hello Archived from the original on 18 October 2019 Retrieved 17 October 2019 Countess of Wessex to promote women s rights during trip to South Sudan MSN 4 March 2020 Archived from the original on 7 August 2020 Retrieved 7 March 2020 a b Sutcliffe Laura 11 January 2022 The Countess of Wessex wears a truly sensational dress in Qatar Hello Archived from the original on 13 January 2022 Retrieved 13 January 2022 a b Petit Stephanie 14 March 2022 Royal in the States Sophie Countess of Wessex Arrives in New York City for 4 Day Visit People Archived from the original on 14 March 2022 Retrieved 15 March 2022 Sawer Patrick 23 April 2022 Earl and Countess of Wessex met by protests on second leg of Caribbean tour The Telegraph Archived from the original on 23 April 2022 Retrieved 24 April 2022 Adams Charley 22 April 2022 Earl and Countess of Wessex Prince Edward and Sophie postpone Grenada trip BBC Archived from the original on 9 September 2022 Retrieved 24 April 2022 Ward Victoria 3 October 2022 Sophie Countess of Wessex becomes first Royal to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo The Telegraph Archived from the original on 4 October 2022 Retrieved 4 October 2022 The Countess of Wessex visits the Democratic Republic of the Congo The Royal Family 4 October 2022 Archived from the original on 11 October 2022 Retrieved 11 October 2022 The Countess of Wessex visits Botswana and Malawi The Royal Family 11 October 2022 Archived from the original on 11 October 2022 Retrieved 11 October 2022 Perry Simon 10 March 2023 Prince Edward and Sophie Step Out in Scotland as the New Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh People Archived from the original on 27 September 2023 Retrieved 10 March 2023 Ward Victoria 23 May 2023 Duchess of Edinburgh visits Iraq to champion survivors of conflict related sexual violence The Telegraph Archived from the original on 23 May 2023 Retrieved 23 May 2023 Russell Rachel 23 May 2023 Duchess of Edinburgh becomes first royal to visit Baghdad in Iraq BBC News Archived from the original on 23 May 2023 Retrieved 23 May 2023 The Wessex Youth Trust wessexyouthtrust org uk Archived from the original on 22 January 2019 Retrieved 9 May 2018 Changes to The Wessex Youth Trust wessexyouthtrust org uk Archived from the original on 6 July 2019 Sunderland AFC gets royal recognition Sunderland Echo 19 February 2015 Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 a b c Sophie takes first steps towards a royal career The Telegraph 19 February 2003 Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 23 April 2013 Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex meningitisnow org uk Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 9 June 2018 We have a Single Aim A World Without Scarring scarfree org uk Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 3 June 2018 Introducing the RCSLT rcslt org Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 4 June 2018 Countess is girlguides new president BBC 12 June 2003 Archived from the original on 14 June 2003 Retrieved 12 June 2003 a b TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex attend DofE Women in Business celebration The Duke of Edinburgh s Award Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 President brainwave org uk Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 10 June 2018 Announcements The Times Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 7 June 2003 Our structure and people autism org uk Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 9 June 2018 The Countess of Wessex attends the St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes Awards royal gov uk 7 September 2016 Archived from the original on 9 May 2018 Retrieved 7 September 2016 The Countess celebrates 30 years of ChildLine royal uk 17 March 2016 Archived from the original on 13 November 2016 Retrieved 17 March 2016 Profile Earl and Countess of Wessex BBC 2 July 2007 Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 Study of 10 000 babies launched BBC 27 October 2006 Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 Honorary Fellows rcog org uk Archived from the original on 12 June 2018 Retrieved 9 June 2018 The Countess of Wessex and Lady Louise meet England Hockey The Royal Family 8 January 2020 Archived from the original on 20 September 2022 Retrieved 3 August 2022 Countess of Wessex vice patron at Bath and West society BBC News 13 June 2011 Archived from the original on 26 May 2018 Retrieved 13 June 2011 The Royal Family RoyalFamily 19 March 2018 The Countess of Wessex as Patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations Tweet via Twitter Countess of Wessex takes 200th Border Union Show role BBC News 19 January 2012 Archived from the original on 26 May 2018 Retrieved 19 January 2012 The Countess of Wessex Opens New Wool Board Offices britishwool org uk Archived from the original on 26 May 2018 Retrieved 25 May 2018 The Countess of Wessex appointed patron of London College of Fashion The Telegraph Archived from the original on 20 March 2013 Retrieved 18 March 2013 Loughborough charity announces new Royal Patron ITV 23 July 2013 Archived from the original on 3 August 2022 Retrieved 3 August 2022 HRH The Countess of Wessex appointed Global Ambassador intaward org Archived from the original on 23 October 2013 Retrieved 7 October 2013 A Royal Boost for the Ubunye Foundation ubunyefoundation co za Archived from the original on 11 March 2016 Retrieved 20 June 2014 HRH The Countess of Wessex announced as Vice Patron of the Trust jubileetribute org Archived from the original on 9 May 2018 Retrieved 20 January 2015 The Countess of Wessex will visit India royal co uk 23 April 2019 Archived from the original on 23 April 2019 Retrieved 23 April 2019 The Royal Family RoyalFamily 10 February 2015 The Queen and The Countess meet ERantzen representing ISPCCChildline and RealRobFahey at TRH birthday reception Tweet via Twitter HRH The Countess of Wessex Global Ambassador 100WF s Next Generation initiatives 100womeninhedgefunds org Archived from the original on 10 May 2018 Retrieved 9 May 2018 Countess of Wessex completes 450 mile cycling challenge BBC News 25 September 2016 Archived from the original on 25 September 2016 Retrieved 25 September 2016 Sophie Countess of Wessex on cycling challenge BBC 10 May 2016 Archived from the original on 1 May 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 LEAF announces Countess of Wessex as new Honorary President FarmingUK News 20 October 2016 Archived from the original on 21 October 2016 Retrieved 20 October 2016 Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex announced as Women of the Future s official Ambassador Women of the Future Programme Archived from the original on 10 May 2018 Retrieved 9 May 2018 Nash Emily 7 December 2016 Sophie Wessex takes to the trading floor for charity That was so easy Hello Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 Barcelona Ainhoa 9 February 2016 Sophie Wessex makes emotional visit to children s hospice Hello Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 Queen steps down as patron of children s charities BBC 20 December 2016 Archived from the original on 22 September 2022 Retrieved 11 March 2018 Blind veteran from Cumbria meets The Countess of Wessex at military charity s Hampton Court show garden The Confederation of Service Charities 4 July 2017 Archived from the original on 12 March 2018 Retrieved 11 March 2018 Charities and Patronages royal uk Archived from the original on 10 May 2018 Retrieved 9 May 2018 Countess elected president of agricultural association middevonadvertiser co uk Archived from the original on 18 February 2022 Retrieved 25 January 2017 GOLD MEDALIST CONFIRMED AS GUEST SPEAKER thebbsa co uk Archived from the original on 12 May 2018 Retrieved 13 May 2018 Meet the Team icemaiden erhosting co uk Archived from the original on 12 May 2018 Retrieved 11 May 2018 The Royal Family RoyalFamily 20 January 2018 Congratulations Ice Maidens The Countess of Wessex Tweet via Twitter The Royal Family RoyalFamily 20 January 2018 Today it has been announced that The Countess of Wessex will be the Royal Patron of The Nursing Memorial Appeal Tweet via Twitter Countess of Wessex takes up top role at Westmorland Agricultural Society westmorlandshow co uk Archived from the original on 11 February 2018 Retrieved 8 February 2018 The Countess of Wessex becomes Royal Patron of Thames Valley Air Ambulance RoyalCentral co uk 21 January 2019 Archived from the original on 23 January 2019 Retrieved 21 January 2019 Countess of Wessex is New Smithfield President royalsmithfieldclub co uk 9 February 2019 Archived from the original on 21 March 2019 Retrieved 9 February 2019 Tominey Camilla 6 March 2019 Countess of Wessex teams up with Angelina Jolie to end rape and sexual violence in war zones The Telegraph Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 6 March 2019 Andrew Edward and Sophie take new roles at Royal Windsor Horse Show shropshirestar com 25 April 2019 Archived from the original on 25 April 2019 Retrieved 25 April 2019 HRH The Duke of Edinburgh hands over Patronage of the Chartered Management Institute to HRH The Countess of Wessex Chartered Management Institute Archived from the original on 1 March 2020 Retrieved 15 May 2019 Caamano Andrea 26 April 2020 The Countess of Wessex secretly volunteering to make food for NHS staff details Hello Archived from the original on 2 June 2020 Retrieved 27 April 2020 Perry Simon 18 June 2020 Why Sophie Wessex Is the Royal Family s Secret Weapon amid Coronavirus People Archived from the original on 6 February 2021 Retrieved 23 November 2020 Rice Francesca 21 September 2020 The Countess of Wessex looks cool and casual in jeans to litter pick at the beach with her famil Good Housekeeping Archived from the original on 1 December 2020 Retrieved 16 November 2020 Prince Edward and family spend sunny weekend on beach clean Tatler 21 September 2020 Archived from the original on 22 November 2020 Retrieved 16 November 2020 Mills Rhiannon 26 February 2021 COVID 19 Think about other people Queen speaks out on vaccine hesitancy Sky News Archived from the original on 28 February 2021 Retrieved 28 February 2021 Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex becomes Royal Patron wellbeingofwomen org uk Archived from the original on 24 May 2021 Retrieved 21 May 2021 Wilkins Bridie 16 September 2021 Sophie Wessex confesses struggles with memory loss Hello Archived from the original on 16 September 2021 Retrieved 16 September 2021 Countess of Wessex takes over incredible new role from the Queen s cousin hellomagazine com Archived from the original on 25 February 2024 Retrieved 8 July 2021 Petit Stephanie 5 December 2022 Sophie Countess of Wessex Appears at Georgetown University to Receive Award from Hillary Clinton People Archived from the original on 6 December 2022 Retrieved 6 December 2022 Kelly Guy 2 August 2018 Why Meghan should follow Sophie the Countess of Wessex the outsider who quietly became the Queen s favourite The Telegraph Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Hinsliff Gaby Wazir Burhan 8 April 2001 Word by word Sophie digs herself deeper into trouble The Guardian Archived from the original on 18 January 2017 Retrieved 23 November 2020 Hall Sarah 13 June 1999 Sophie stresses her differences from Diana The Guardian Archived from the original on 1 July 2021 Retrieved 23 November 2020 Summerskill Ben 19 August 2001 Edward and Sophie go on royal duties strike The Guardian Archived from the original on 23 May 2021 Retrieved 23 November 2020 a b How Sophie Countess of Wessex moved from being a career PR girl to a devoted Royal stalwart Tatler 8 June 2020 Archived from the original on 21 October 2020 Retrieved 24 November 2020 a b Murphy Victoria 5 April 2020 Sophie Countess of Wessex Is the Royal Family s Secret Weapon Town and Country Archived from the original on 28 November 2020 Retrieved 23 November 2020 Miller Frederika 20 May 2020 Sophie Wessex nickname How dedicated royal earned this surprising nickname Daily Express Archived from the original on 19 October 2020 Retrieved 14 October 2020 Can Sophie Wessex reignite the royal flame Radio NZ 19 July 2020 Archived from the original on 15 January 2021 Retrieved 23 November 2020 Vanderhoof Erin Countess Sophie s Trip to the Pub Suggests She ll Be Staying in the Spotlight Vanity Fair Archived from the original on 25 October 2020 Retrieved 23 November 2020 McBride Caitline 26 January 2020 Sophie of Wessex who is Queen Elizabeth s favourite royal filling Harry and Meghan s shoes Irish Independent Archived from the original on 27 January 2020 Retrieved 23 November 2020 Farquharson Georgia 15 August 2020 Sophie Countess of Wessex went from a scandalous past to being a royal key worker but how could she help Meghan GoodtoKnow Archived from the original on 29 November 2020 Retrieved 23 November 2020 a b As Sophie Countess of Wessex turns 53 look back at her most stylish looks The Telegraph 20 January 2018 Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 12 March 2018 About Jane Taylor janetaylorlondon com Archived from the original on 10 May 2018 Retrieved 10 May 2018 Royal Style for Real Girls Tips from Kate Middleton s Hat Maker Jane Taylor marieclaire com Archived from the original on 14 April 2016 Retrieved 13 April 2016 a b Sophie Countess of Wessex s most stylish moments Hello 19 January 2018 Archived from the original on 13 March 2018 Retrieved 12 March 2018 Clinton Leah Melby 20 October 2015 Sophie Countess of Wessex Talks About the Real Fashion Pressures of Being a Royal Glamour Archived from the original on 13 March 2018 Retrieved 12 March 2018 Jessen Monique 6 November 2015 Why Sophie Countess of Wessex Skips the Stylist She Does It All Herself People Archived from the original on 13 March 2018 Retrieved 12 March 2018 Ward Victoria 18 October 2015 Sophie Countess of Wessex tells how she caved into fashion The Telegraph Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 12 March 2018 Hill Erin 19 February 2018 Kate Middleton Steps Out in Black and White for Fashion Event Amid BAFTA Dress Code Backlash People Archived from the original on 13 March 2018 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Conference Tweet via Twitter The Royal Family RoyalFamily 16 September 2021 Yesterday The Countess of Wessex Grand President of StJohnAmbulance was presented with the First Bar to the Service Medal marking HRH s 15 years of service to the Order Tweet via Twitter Longstaff Emma 27 April 2023 What medals are the royal family wearing Homes amp Antiques Archived from the original on 17 January 2024 Retrieved 19 January 2024 No 63692 The London Gazette 9 May 2022 p 8838 No 57625 The London Gazette 27 April 2005 p 5488 Honours Decorations and Medals gov uk Archived from the original on 19 January 2024 Retrieved 19 January 2024 TRH THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL AWARDED WITH THE MEXICAN ORDER OF THE AZTEC EAGLE Official website of the Mexican Embassy in the United Kingdom Archived from the original on 11 April 2019 Retrieved 11 April 2019 The Royal Family RoyalFamily 5 October 2017 The Earl and Countess of Wessex are in Brunei to attend The Sultan of Brunei s Golden Jubilee 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at the suggestion of Bishop Peter Nott formally of Norwich who had the honour of officiating at the wedding of The Earl and Countess of Wessex at St George s Chapel Windsor in 1999 a b Sophie s new coat Archived 31 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine BBC News 19 May 1999 Retrieved 14 November 2010 Royal Insights October 2005 Mailbox The Royal Household Archived from the original on 22 February 2008 Retrieved 17 June 2023 External linksListen to this article 15 minutes source source nbsp This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 12 July 2014 2014 07 12 and does not reflect subsequent edits Audio help More spoken articles nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh The Duchess of Edinburgh at the official website of the British royal family The Duchess of Edinburgh at the website of the Government of Canada Portraits of Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh at the National Portrait Gallery London nbsp Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh at IMDb Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom Preceded byPrincess Lilibet of Sussex LadiesHRH The Duchess of Edinburgh Succeeded byThe Princess Royal Portals nbsp Monarchy nbsp United Kingdom nbsp Canada nbsp Australia nbsp Scotland Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh amp oldid 1221183083, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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