The Countess of Wessex Turns Fifty

The Countess of Wessex today celebrates her fiftieth birthday.

Born Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones in 1965, the Countess is the second child of Christopher Rhys-Jones and Mary O’Sullivan. She has an elder brother, David, and was educated at Dulwich Prepatory School and Kent College before beginning a career in public relations.

In 1999, Sophie’s engagement to Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, was announced by Buckingham Palace. They were married on June 19 that year at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Despite serious and life-threatening pregnancy issues, the Countess has two children: Lady Louise, born in 2003, and James, Viscount Severn, born in 2007.

Sophie undertakes a number of engagements on behalf of the Queen, and is patron of numerous organisations.

To mark this milestone birthday, the Countess gave a rare interview to Harper’s Bazaar for their February issue. In the interview, conducted at Buckingham Palace with photographs taken at Bagshot Park, Sophie discussed – among other topics – things she had learnt from her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II.

“The art of talking meaningfully is one that has to be learnt…The Queen is very good at that – she makes everybody feel very special,” the Countess said, as well as praising the Queen’s service and dedication, and how she learnt from the Queen not to rush around her tasks but to take her time.

Read more about the Countess of Wessex’s birthday here.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Birthday, Interview, Media, The Countess of Wessex.