Sophie married Prince Edward in a landmark royal wedding at St George’s Chapel in 1999 and the royal couple released a charming photograph yesterday from Royal Ascot to celebrate their anniversary. The Earl and Countess of Wessex began their romance in 1993, and the way Sophie was introduced to royal life was markedly different from Diana and Fergie’s experiences of the decade prior. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward, in her 1995 book “Prince Edward”, delves into the early days of the royal couple’s relationship and describes how the Queen had learned from the mistakes of the past.
Ms Seward writes: “That Edward should wish to have his girlfriend beside him as much as possible was perfectly natural.
“That the Queen should allow it to happen under her roof marked a significant change in attitude and approach.
“Both Sarah and Diana had moved into the Palace, but not until they were formally engaged.
“Even then they were carefully accommodated at the other end of the principal floor so that appearances could be maintained.
Sophie Countess of Wessex and Queen Elizabeth II (Image: Getty)
The Earl and Countess of Wessex married in 1999 (Image: Getty)
Princess Diana and Sarah
