Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh: the secret saviour of the royals

A long-standing member of the Royal Family, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh was a great support to the Queen over the years. But how much do you know about her?

What is Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh's age?

The Duchess of Edinburgh was born to middle-class parents Chris and Mary in Kent on January 20 1965. She is currently 57.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh young

Sophie has one sibling, an older brother David born in 1963. Her godfather was actor Thane Bettany and was also her father's stepbrother. The Duchess actually descends from King Henry IV of England.

Sophie was educated at private schools and had a comfortable though relatively ordinary childhood with no hint of what was to come. A friend said, “She was brought up by her parents and there was going to be no free ride in her family. She wasn’t born to be the eldest daughter of a duke and duchess and find a marvellous marriage and polish her tiaras.”

The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh

Sophie met Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, for the first time in 1987 while she was working in PR for Capital Radio. At the time, Prince Edward was dating her friend. They did not begin dating until 1993.

The couple's engagement was announced on January 6 1999 and they went on to marry on June 19 of that year at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. How lovely is this photo of them on their special day?

In the two decades since, she has gone on to become one of the most diligent of royals, quietly getting on with her work while representing the Queen, her husband, and herself with dignity.

The Duchess of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth

Their relationship was said to have grown in strength over the years, with Sophie making regular visits to see her mother-in-law, as well as having regular phone catch-ups.

“They genuinely liked one another and spent a lot of time together,” says former BBC royal correspondent Jenny Bond. “They seemed to very much enjoy one another’s company. It wasn’t just about an adoration of The Queen by Sophie – it was a mutual friendship. Sophie is a very calm, kind, relaxed individual, and The Queen really appreciated those qualities.”

Well into her later reign, the Queen continued to see Sophie as an ally and friend. A Palace insider said, before The Queen’s passing, “Sophie has been the go-to for various personal matters as well as a sounding board for certain decisions about the monarchy, which she’s perfect for, since she’s impartial and has no real agenda or issues with the likes of the Sussexes or the Yorks – she’s also incredibly understated and hard-working, albeit beneath the radar.”

Royal expert Duncan Larcombe agrees. “After Philip’s death, Sophie’s bond with the Queen further strengthened,” he observes. “In fact, Sophie was often invited to take his place in the car for royal events, with the Queen saying she found her presence ‘soothing’.”

Sophie was also the only Royal consort to travel from London to Balmoral on September 8 when it was clear Her Majesty’s health was fading – Camilla, Queen Consort, being in Scotland already. She dashed to join her husband, brother-in-law Andrew, and nephew William on the flight north, but alas they arrived too late.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Philip

Sophie’s relationship with Prince Philip also endeared her to her ‘mama’. Allegedly, the Queen had been worried that Sophie would be cowed by him.

“But she got on very well with Philip,” says royal author Ingrid Seward in her book, Prince Philip Revealed: A Man of His Century. “She knew how to handle him. She made him laugh, and was not fazed by his abruptness. She would not let him bully her.”

Sophie’s affection for her late parents-in-law is plain in the photo released by Buckingham Palace shortly after Prince Philip’s death. Snapped by Sophie, it shows The Queen and her husband on a family day out in the Scottish Highlands.“You can see in that photo how relaxed they are,” comments Jennie Bond, “because they’re so close to the person holding the camera.”

After Philip’s death in April 2021, Sophie – according to Palace insiders – made it her personal mission to ensure Her Majesty was fully supported by the family. Sophie would drive the ten miles from her Bagshot Park home to Windsor Castle every few days and most weekends to spend socially distanced time with The Queen. If she was unable to visit in person, she would telephone at least once a day. When Covid restrictions were eased, the two would sit and watch old war films and historical documentaries together. Sophie is even thought to have convinced the Queen to watch Netflix’s The Crown.

The Duchess of Edinburgh's children

Although inordinately fond of her quiet and reserved daughter-in-law, it’s said that the Queen’s special connection with Sophie really began to form when the Duchess was pregnant with Lady Louise in 2003. Sophie had already suffered a traumatic ectopic pregnancy a couple of years earlier, and then with Louise’s arrival, both she and her baby almost died.

“It’s almost unheard of for The Queen to visit anyone in hospital,” remembers Jennie, “but she did go to see Sophie.”

The bond was strengthened after Sophie lost her own mother, Mary Rhys Jones, to stomach cancer in 2005.

Two years later, Sophie gave birth to her second child, James.

“I think, perhaps, The Queen was closer to Sophie and Edward’s children than she was to the older grandchildren,” Jennie continues. “She was young enough to be able to get down on the floor with them, but it’s possible she had a little more time than when the others were small children. Most weekends Sophie would take her children over to see their grandparents and they’d all go riding together.”

On September 15, Prince Edward made a statement on behalf of himself, Sophie and their children.“The Queen’s passing has left an unimaginable void in all our lives. Sophie and I have taken huge pleasure in seeing our James and Louise enjoying the places and activities that their grandparents loved so much. Given that my mama let us spend so much time with her, I think she also rather enjoyed watching those passions blossom. Those times together, those happy memories, have now become massively precious to each and every one of us.”

The Duchess of Edinburgh's work

A full-time working member of the Royal Family, The Duchess of Edinburgh splits her time between her work in support of The King and visits to a large number of her own charities and organisations.

Sophie is a Patron of over 70 charities and organisations. She has a strong interest in the provisions for people with disabilities and embracing opportunities for young people as well as being passionate about eradicating avoidable blindness.

Sophie is also involved with The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and in 2016, to mark the 60th Anniversary of The Duke of Edinburgh Award, she cycled 445 miles as part of her Duke of Edinburgh's Award Diamond Challenge.

Since the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to the US, Sophie has found herself much more in the spotlight – especially during the pandemic when, in addition to volunteering at a St John’s Ambulance hub, organising PPE for hospital staff, she also visited the Saints Foundation in Southampton, helping pack food and prescription parcels for vulnerable people.

Known for her hard work behind the scenes, some courtiers are believed to refer to Sophie as “the royals’ secret weapon”.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh's titles

Upon her marriage to Prince Edward, Sophie was named as Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex.

Sophie inherited Queen Elizabeth’s former title of the Duchess of Edinburgh in March 2023 when King Charles announced Prince Edward as the new Duke of Edinburgh. It is likely she will grow to have an even bigger role within the royal family, which will undoubtedly see her continuing with Her Majesty’s legacy.

When in Scotland, Sophie uses the title Countess of Forfar after the Queen granted the Earldom of Forfar to the Earl of Wessex in March 2019.