Earl and Countess of Wessex and Family Current Events 8: January 2014-March 2015


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Wonderful as always. The countess and Phoebe -. Precious.:D
 
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I knew at the time just from the condition that Sophie was near death but I just read in the Daily Mail she had to have NINE PINTS of blood! :eek:
 
I knew at the time just from the condition that Sophie was near death but I just read in the Daily Mail she had to have NINE PINTS of blood! :eek:
I just read this article, it confirms the story of your friend Molly. Very scary...
The real terrifying story of how Sophie Wessex and her baby cheated death - and why it still haunts her | Mail Online

Here's my post on engagements from the 20th March, including pictures:
HRH Countess of Wessex: Day of military engagements for The Countess of Wessex
 
The real terrifying story of how Sophie Wessex and her baby cheated death - and why it still haunts her | Mail Online
21 March 2014

The real terrifying story of how Sophie Wessex and her baby cheated death - and why it still haunts her

Sophie Wessex is usually serenity itself. Quiet and friendly, yes, but always in control. An elegant, regal figure no more prone to emotional outbursts than the Queen herself. So when the Countess was pictured, red eyes brimful of tears and hugging a midwife in a Surrey hospital earlier this week, it was both touching and shocking.

Her breakdown, though, was entirely understandable. For she was returning to Frimley Park Hospital, where ten years ago she nearly died while giving birth to her first child, Louise. As the Countess of Wessex opened the hospital’s new neo-natal unit, she said: ‘The service you can provide can literally make the difference between life and death. I can attest to that.’ Now, for the first time, the Mail can reveal the full story of how

Sophie’s life hung in the balance that day — and how it has profoundly affected her as a mother. ‘It was utterly traumatic, and in some ways Sophie has never got over it,’ says a friend. ‘It completely reshaped her character and affected how she relates to her children.’ More practical than emotionally effusive, the repercussions mean Sophie is now hyper-alert to danger and very keen on organisation and order.

At the beginning of November 2003, with a month still to go before her due date, everything seemed fine. So fine, in fact, that Edward went to Mauritius — a 12-hour flight — for an official visit. But at about 6pm on Saturday November 8, Sophie was struck down with crippling abdominal pains at Bagshot Park, the couple’s forbidding Victorian pile in Surrey.

By 8pm she was in agony, and staff called the Queen’s obstetrician, Marcus Setchell, who instructed them to get Sophie to the nearest hospital immediately. They dialled 999 and awaited an ambulance. Yet there was confusion over the call, and police officers, rather than medics, turned up, leading to a potentially calamitous 30-minute delay. The lives of Sophie and her baby were hanging perilously in the balance. Edward had been contacted in Mauritius, but there was no way he could return until the next day.

At Frimley Park Hospital, four miles from Bagshot, a medical team was placed on stand-by. When Sophie arrived they realised she needed an emergency caesarean. She was showing signs of acute placental abruption, in which the placental lining separates from the uterus. It can result in colossal blood loss for the mother, while babies may become distressed and can be stillborn. Sophie’s condition was so advanced that it was threatening to kill both her and her baby.

Marcus Setchell had made it to the hospital from London at lightning speed, and oversaw the operation, which was carried out by surgeon Sukhpal Singh, gynaecologist Anne Deans and midwife Adrienne Price. The moment the baby was born, weighing just 4lb 9oz, she was taken from her mother and rushed to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London, for special care.

Sophie, meanwhile, was just 15 minutes from death. She was losing massive amounts of blood and had slipped into a semi-conscious state. It took a massive blood transfusion — around nine pints — before she regained any kind of stability. For the next 24 hours she stayed at Frimley, sedated, alone and distressed at being apart from her baby, of whom she’d had only a glimpse.

Edward didn’t make it back to Britain until the following evening. He had no idea how serious the situation was, and ‘went as white as a sheet’ when he found out his wife nearly died and his baby was in a specialist unit.
 
@ Anna- I love the pictures from the Academy, and the theater on your website. Who is having more fun- The Countess or the kids? As always, hard to tell...:D
Love the photos in the daily Mail article- Sophie's face with the paper ice cream - priceless. Like, "yummy!" And it did look pretty good I have to say...:ROFLMAO:
As always, Sophie and little kids is a wonderful combination. Love how she put him at ease.
And she looked stunning.
 
I totally LOVE:flowers: look from last night! Absolutely my favourite ever. Sophie wore Antonio Berardi dress she wore to the memorial recently, but it was covered with coat. That dress is amazing. And she is simply radiant.

Pics from SJ awards in HQ!!! https://www.flickr.com/photos/70996051@N05/

Pics from Isle of Wight https://www.flickr.com/photos/iwradio/

I will be updating my post ASAP. What a great visit!
 
@ Anna- are we talking the dress she wore last night with prince Edward, or the dress she wore to the first aid award ceremony?
I agree- in both she looked stunning!
 
Love seeing Sophie with children. She's so good with them.
 
@ Anna- are we talking the dress she wore last night with prince Edward, or the dress she wore to the first aid award ceremony?
I agree- in both she looked stunning!
I meant the dress from Isle of Wight. Just the hair, dress and amazing necklace. Gorgoeus. BUT she always look good, like during St James awards :flowers:
 
Sophie looked amazing last night and I LOVED her green pendant necklace. It was beautiful and her hairstyle was gorgeous. Even Ed looked appreciative of Sophie last night!

An article on their visit: Earl and Countess Of Wessex Continue Isle of Wight Trip In East Cowes

The Prince warned the assembled children and staff that plaque unveiling was “a bit boring” but assured them “Sophie has had lots of practice and is still practising”. She responded by putting her hands to her head and saying “The pressure”".

It's this sort of stuff I love to see videos off. It's a shame there aren't any.
 
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Love seeing Sophie with children. She's so good with them.

I meant the dress from Isle of Wight. Just the hair, dress and amazing necklace. Gorgoeus. BUT she always look good, like during St James awards :flowers:

@ Daria- you and me both!
@ Anna- that's what I thought you were talking about. She did look extra gorgeous in that one!
 
Sophie has looked stunning onn the I of W visit the fundraiser evening she was stunning .... totally stunning loved the necklace.
 
Thanks for all the links to images. They both look lovely and Osbourne House looks beautiful. I live so close to the Isle of Wight that I should definitely embrace this and go!

I love Sophie's necklace with L and J pendants. :) It's almost as cute as her E and S necklace.
 
Thanks Anna. Loved Sophie's coat today.

Edward and Sophie are doing a lot of joint engagements over the next few weeks - this makes me happy. :)
 
I agree she looks lovely at Easter love the hat. The races day though I have to say she should never go anywhere without make up terrible .. the suit was nice boots not my favourite IMO
 
She had make up at the races, just the outfit, and the way sun shone on her, didn't make her look flattering.
 
Agree .. not flattering Anna whatever the reason ... but once in awhile we all make mistakes ...
 
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