Sophie and Edward’s ‘unusual’ move that may be secret to long marriage | Royal | News
Prince Edward, the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh have enjoyed a long-lasting and strong marriage, marked by mutual respect and commitment. Their journey together began with a fairy-tale wedding and has since grown into a partnership admired for its dedication to royal duties.
It has been claimed Edward and Sophie were “mature enough to know they were right for one another”, a former BBC royal correspondent has claimed.
Speaking to OK! Magazine, Jennie Bond said: “Perhaps part of the secret of their successful marriage is that they spend five years in a relationship before tying the knot. And that was pretty unusual at the time.”
Jennie also explained, at first hand, Sophie had witnessed the “breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage”, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s divorce and Princess Anne’s divorce and second marriage”.
The couple are marking their 25th wedding anniversary today and are repeatedly being branded as the Royal Family’s “secret weapons”.
Edward, 60, married Sophie Rhys-Jones, 59, in a low-key ceremony at St George’s Chapel, Windsor on 19 June, 1999. They started dating in 1993, maintaining a relatively low profile compared to other royal relationships. More prominent royal weddings, such as Prince William and Kate’s took place at Westminster Abbey, due to its grandeur.
The couple announced their engagement on January 6, 1999. Prince Edward presented Sophie with a unique engagement ring featuring a two-carat oval diamond flanked by smaller heart-shaped diamonds, designed by Asprey and Garrard.
Jennie also told OK! Magazine: “Understated, unshowy and as down-to-earth as you can be when you are born into the royal family. That’s how Edward and Sophie are today… and it’s how they were 25 years ago on their relatively understated wedding day at Windsor.”
A reported 200 million viewers tuned in to watch Prince Edward’s royal wedding, where Sophie wore a beautiful Samantha Shaw dress and a breath-taking tiara borrowed from Queen Elizabeth’s private collection.
