Those Wonderful Wessexes Edward & Sophie's 20-year Love Story

Why The Couple Are Touted As Modern Royal Role Models.

- Kate Russell

They are the sort of couple you see every day at the school gates. She’s blonde, friendly and a committed charity fundraiser. He’s thin on top, smiley, and enthusiastic about sport and art. In fact, if you lived near the Earl and Countess of Wessex, you actually might meet them dropping off their children or cheering them on at a sports day.

For most of us, this is business as usual. For Prince Edward (54) and his wife Sophie (53), being normal is a triumph.

“They’ve both experienced the rough side of being royal, the unwanted attention and inability to get on with life,” says a long-term friend. “They are determined their children won’t have to put up with that, so they have slipped as far under the radar as they can while being exceptionally hard-working royals.”

This has taken considerable determination and planning by the couple, who celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in June 2019. It’s the only marriage of the Queen’s children that has survived and thrived.

“They are best friends and have an incredibly strong partnership,” tells the friend.

“They aren’t interested in the trimmings of royalty – they have always wanted to lead a normal life since they met playing tennis in the 1990s. They more or less lived together before they married, so they knew what they were getting into.

“Their priorities have always been family and work. That hasn’t changed.”

Two decisions have been key. The first was to give up having an independent career – Edward in television production and Sophie in PR – to focus instead on supporting the Queen and Prince Philip.