Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh
Title: Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh
Full Name: Sophie Helen
Father: Christopher Rhys-Jones
Mother: Mary Rhys-Jones
Born: January 20, 1965 at Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford
Current Age: 59 years, 11 months,
Married: Prince Edward on June 19, 1999 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor
Children: Lady Louise Windsor, James Earl of Wessex
The Duchess of Edinburgh was born Sophie Rhys-Jones in Oxford in 20 January 1965. She has royal ancestry as a descendant of Henry II of France, and both Welsh and Scottish ancestry. She has an elder brother David. She was educated at Dulwich College Preparatory school in Kent, and Kent College School for Girls, Pembury, before training as a secretary.
Sophie embarked on a career working in public relations for a variety of firms in London including Capital Radio, and PR companies The Quentin Bell Organisation and MacLaurin Communications. In 1996 she launched her own PR agency RJH Public Relations. She withdrew from her PR career in 2002.
She met Prince Edward at a real tennis event in 1993, and they were married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 19 June 1999. On their wedding Edward was created Earl of Wessex, and Sophie became Countess of Wessex. They have two children Lady Louise Windsor born 8 November 2003, and James Duke of Wessex born 17 December 2007.
She supports her husband’s public roles and has interests in charitable organisations including the children’s charities and community projects. She is patron of Girlguilding. In December 2001 she suffered a potentially life threatening ectopic pregnancy, and the birth of her daughter Louise in 2003 was premature and by emergency caesarean, but the birth of her son James was without complications. She is said to have had a close relationship with her mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth with whom she shared an interest in riding. She became Duchess of Edinburgh in March 2023 when her husband Edward became Duke of Edinburgh.