Earl and Countess of Wessex Current Events 10: March-August 2006

[princess olga]

I thought Sophie didn't have anything to do with her company anymore. Hadn't she sold it a while ago and not been involved with it any longer because it interfered with her royal role?

As it appears now from the article in the daily Mail posted by Incas, Sophie remained instrumental in the running of the company, participating in phone conference calls frequently and making business decisions. That loan she helped secure for the company will get her into trouble indeed, because she is being paid by the crown to do formal duties for Elizabeth, and she's supposed to stay out of anything else, and she hasn't, no matter how understandable I think that is, she disobeyed the deal with the Queen. She should have known better.

 

[Australian]

Well it was her business at one stage wasn't it? If it was me, I would find it hard to disconnect from it completely after putting in so much hard work to make it successful. She probably sees it as her 'baby', regardless of any agreement with the Queen. But yes, she should have known better, i agree with that princess olga.

 

[Claire]

I have several doubts about there ever been a arguement between Sophie and the Queen - if there had been anything we would never have known about it.
Sophie is in how way paid by the Queen to do royal engagements - the money the Queen pays (through the pay back pay civil list) is directly towards the Earl of Wessex and it is for the household. It has always bugged me that Sophie has never appeared on list of monies towards tthe royal family. Only Edward does, and it goes directly towards staff. I believe the amount is 144 000 pounds a year - which is less than the Glouchesters, Kents and Princess Alexander. It is also less than most of The Queen's and Charles's staff. So it leads me to wonder what Edward's staff is been paid.
So who pays for the clothes and general expenses while that comes out of Edward and Sophie's pocket. Edward's trustfund and what money Sophie had. I was estimated that Edward had little over 2 million pounds in 2000. Sophie just over 1 million. What they do with their own money is their concern. It is not from British taxes or stolen from the commonwealth - or whatever the tabloids are peddling today.

 

[LadyS]

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/1281/countessofwessexpd7.jpg

From website www.debbiebone.co.uk (sorry it doesn't say who the photographer is)


Here is another photo of Sophie at the Rainbow Trust cutting a cake. I found it on a website for cakes and wedding cakes.

(I hope I have posted correctly please delete if it is wrong)

 

[iceflower]

NYCRINCE EDWARD AT THE ROYAL OAK GALA BENEFIT:WITH BROOKE ASTOR,KATHY HILTON & ANNE HEART, 31.07.2006, BRUNOPRESS

(brunopress)

 

[Bella]

Brooke Astor is a fascinating woman! Prince Edward looks good. I wonder if the royals get seriously jet-lagged from all the traveling they do. Great pics, Iceflower!

 

[HRH Kimetha]

NYCRINCE EDWARD AT THE ROYAL OAK GALA BENEFIT:WITH BROOKE ASTOR,KATHY HILTON & ANNE HEART, 31.07.2006, BRUNOPRESS (brunopress)

I heard that Brooke Astor was very sick and was watched over by a relative. Is this picture really recent? She seems to be okay in this picture. Anyone know about this?

 

[seto]

I don't think that is a recent picture she has apparently not been able to go out.

 

[iceflower]

I'd like to apologize in case I made something wrong considering the pics to be new! Brunopress offered them as new pics and dated them with 31.07.2006 as it can be seen in the caption I copied. If anyone has very good eyes or very good reading glasses, he or she could read the original SIPA caption below the pics and tell us ;-)

 

[sydney00]

http://oe3.orf.at/aktuell/stories/123266/
hello just found this article in google news... sadly it is in german but there's described how edward fell on the floor on beatrice's birthday party while dancing
did anyone read about it?
obviously he was amused himself (that was written in the article)

 

[BMC]

I heard that Brooke Astor was very sick and was watched over by a relative. Is this picture really recent? She seems to be okay in this picture. Anyone know about this?

I read that Brooke Astor is indeed very sick (she's very elderly) and there is a lawsuit pending against her son, filed by her grandson, accusing the son of neglecting to have Mrs. Astor properly cared for. This was in Newsweek magazine, which is a reliable source of information.

 

[Claire]

Did anyone see this comment in a recent article about the moving of Christmas to Windsor?

"The only ones who've genuinely enjoyed Christmas recently are Edward and Sophie. The Queen and Philip adore little Louise and Edward's flavor of the month," said a royal insider.

 

[BMC]

Yes and I was & am very puzzled by the last part of the statement!

 

[Claire]

I can understand why Edward and Sophie would be the only ones enjoying Christmas. I find myself only loving Christmas through the younger children in my family. The older fooggies well we have just lost the magic and yes run off to the pub afterwards to see friends.
But is Edward really the favour of the month at the moment? Edward has always been fond of his parents - I would think that they must enjoy his company or they would simply find other excuses. But I really haven't noticed aby change of behaviour of the royals towards the Wessex's. Have any of you?

 

[Avalon]

The rummour that the Royal Family is moving to Windsor for Christmas has already been denied.

Royals' Christmas move rumour denied
Claims that the Queen is planning to move the Royal Family's Christmas celebrations from Norfolk to Windsor Castle were dismissed today.

 

[Skydragon]

The rummour that the Royal Family is moving to Windsor for Christmas has already been denied.
Royals' Christmas move rumour denied
Claims that the Queen is planning to move the Royal Family's Christmas celebrations from Norfolk to Windsor Castle were dismissed today.

Ahh but we have: -
1. A royal insider said there were no current plans to abandon Sandringham,
and
2. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “We don't comment on the movements of the Queen or the decisions about where she spends Christmas.”

The plot thickens.

 

[Avalon]

Ahh but we have: -
1. A royal insider said there were no current plans to abandon Sandringham,
and
2. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “We don't comment on the movements of the Queen or the decisions about where she spends Christmas.”

The plot thickens.

I wonder does anyone honestly believe that Her Majesty is supposed to be forced to abandon Sandringham under the pressure from Prince Charles and Princes William and Harry. The Queen???

 

[Claire]

Buckingham Palace has anounced that Prince Edward will visit Kenya, Seychelles, Maurituis, South Africa and Antigu in October. The Countess of Wessex will join him for the last two.

 

[Warren]

As news is pretty quiet on the Wessex front, the Earl and Countess are moving to a new thread.

Part 7 starts here​