Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s ‘extremely tight’ marriage secrets revealed
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are the only royal couple of their generation to last as the other royal siblings have all divorced.
Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie have an enviable love affair that has lasted through the ages. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are the only royal couple of their generation to last, with all three of Prince Edward’s older siblings getting divorced in the 1990s.
But it wasn’t love at first sight for the couple as they met for the first time in 1987 and it took six years until 1993 for the Prince and Sophie to meet again at a charity event to begin their love story.
Despite some reporting of their relationship troubles, it was short-lived, and their engagement was announced in January 1999. Since then, the couple’s relationship has been a constant for royal fans, something which Sophie puts down to their “great friendship”.
She said during their engagement interview in 1998: “I think we share a number of interests, we laugh a lot and we have a great friendship.”
Edward agreed, saying: “We are the very best of friends and that’s essential but it also helps that we also love each other very much.”
The Queen’s youngest son and Sophie have shared interests which has helped their marriage last, as they bonded over their love of sports and outdoor living.
Another reason Prince Edward and Sophie’s marriage has endured is because of Edward’s commitment to not ending up like his siblings, all of whom had separated from their partners.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward has said: “The failures of the marriages of Edward’s beloved sister Anne and then, in rapid and ever more embarrassing succession, Andrew and Charles, made him even more determined to put caution before commitment.”
