LMAO, how did I never realize that Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh got married on Juneteenth? It’s obviously not a holiday in the UK, so it’s just a weird little history quirk. June 19th was Edward and Sophie’s 25th wedding anniversary. Twenty-five years is the Silver Anniversary, in case you were wondering. It’s a big deal for Sophie and Ed, actually – Edward is the only one of QEII’s children to never get a divorce. His marriage to Sophie is the longest marriage of that generation, save for Princess Anne’s marriage to her second husband Tim Laurence (their 32nd anniversary is in December).
So, celebrations are in order. Sophie and Edward celebrated by releasing this new portrait taken by photographer Chris Jelf. It was taken in the garden of Bagshot Park, their home/estate. I have to say, Sophie looks nice here. In the olden days, they would say she’s a “handsome woman” with “fine eyes.” I assume the photo was chosen because Sophie looked great in it and Edward looked… okay. Let’s just say he’s not super-photogenic. I actually find it almost charming that Edward, the germaphobe who loathes to touch people, managed to generate this kind of genuine warmth in a photo. That warmth is extended to their anniversary PR keenery. Becky English at the Mail had the scoop on their happy marriage:
In royal circles they are known as a universally happy couple who have barely (certainly not since the notorious ‘Fake Sheikh’ scandal of the late 1990s in which Sophie was duped by an undercover reporter into making indiscreet comments about the then Prince Charles, Tony Blair and William Hague, and subsequently chose to give up her PR business) put a foot wrong.
They have two children, James, now Earl of Wessex, who is currently undertaking his GCSEs and Lady Louise, an English literature student at St Andrews University who, family friends tell me, is turning into a confident young woman.
They plan to celebrate 25 years of marriage in typically low-key style, I can reveal, with a group of close pals at Royal Ascot (and not even in the royal carriage procession). It is this careful balancing of their positions as full-time working royals with a strong sense of duty, together with their life as partners and parents, that is the secret to their success, say friends.
‘They are a real team,’ one life-long friend of the couple tells me. ‘There’s an equilibrium in the relationship, neither one is jealous of the other. In fact they take great pride in the other’s achievements. ‘When Sophie undertook a 450-mile cycling challenge a few years ago from Edinburgh to London there was no one prouder than the prince, I can tell you.’
According to Sophie, 59, who paid a remarkable public tribute to her husband on his 60th birthday in March, it’s also the fact that he is ‘the best of the fathers and the most loving of husbands’. She sweetly described Edward as her ‘best friend’ — and unhesitatingly admitted that she still fancies him in a uniform.
Outside work they are both very much country sorts, adoring their dogs, walking and riding.
They’re also keen skiers. Edward, in particular, is ‘irritatingly good’ and utterly ‘fearless’, says one friend. Sophie did a season on the slopes after leaving school and isn’t far behind. The couple are known too to enjoy ‘bucket and spade’ family holidays in places such as the Isles of Scilly. One family friend who has holidayed with them recalls a member of the public once coming up to Edward to tell him that he was a ‘dead ringer’ for the Queen’s youngest son — clearly not thinking for a second that the man queuing up to get supplies in the Co-op could ever have been him.
Above all, Sophie and Edward laugh a lot. ‘There is always something for them to giggle about,’ says a pal.
It’s unsurprising to many in royal circles that they have become role models to the Prince and Princess of Wales, who greatly admire the way they have brought up their children out of the public spotlight (at one point 16th-in-line-to-the-throne Louise even had a job working in a local garden centre for £6.83 an hour). Sophie, in particular, has become a reliable ‘sounding board’ for Kate and their relationship has gone from strength to strength, while William enjoys an easy relationship with his uncle (which cannot be said for his dealings with Andrew).
I think Edward admires his wife because Sophie is very capable at navigating her way through this awful system. She cozied up to QEII and became something like her second daughter. She was horrible to the Sussexes, thus ingratiating herself further to Charles, Camilla, William and Kate. And now she’s doing the most to cozy up to the Waleses. I’m not sure Edward would have thought to do any of that. Plus, I buy that they just get along.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Chris Jelf/Buckingham Palace.