In Praise of Sophie Countess of Wessex
Ahead of a visit to Canada, the Toronto Star is singing the praises of Sophie, Countess of Wessex : “On Monday, the 41-year-old countess arrives for a three-day stay in Toronto that will include a dinner for the Munk Cardiac Centre and visits to various other sites in the University Health Network, of which she is patron.”
They certainly pile it on :
How often the 80-year-old Queen must gaze upon the one-time Sophie Rhys-Jones — the ‘lowest-born’ person ever to marry into the royal family — and think, ‘Not sure how, but one of them got it right.’ The one is Prince Edward, the youngest and least known of the Queen’s sons. In 1999, he married public-relations consultant Sophie, a tire exporter’s daughter with a striking resemblance to Princess Diana, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Sophie, mother of a 3-year-old daughter, has become a quietly hard-working Royal after early problems with her PR business, which went bust, an embarrassing meeting with a fake sheik, and nearly losing her life during childbirth.
She has become one of the Queen’s favourite companions and, like Princess Anne before her, admired for her low-key hard work and professionalism.
The reason Sophie goes unreconized for all her hard work is simple. Like Princess Anne, Sophie and Edward do not go out of their way to seek the limelight. They know they have a responsibility and get on with their work. I also believe that because of this they have an extremely good marriage and learned from the past mistakes of the others.
By Trudie on November 22nd, 2006 at 12:18 pm
That’s right, Trudie. What a lot of people don’t recognize is that the Royal Family is at its best when it’s quietly hardworking (Kate excepted). When they try to be celebrities and paint the town red, they lose credibility.
I know it’s boring, but it’s so true.
By John on November 22nd, 2006 at 12:28 pm
Does Anne second husband have noble lineage, I thought he was commoner. Sophie was a commoner, but she is still related to the Queen Mum through a Viscount in her family. Does Anne’s husband have any noble or titled lineage? Just curious?
By mandy on November 23rd, 2006 at 6:05 am
That article was a bit strange. It mixed up Sophie’s interviews…she said the thing about being flattered by the comparison to Diana(in the Engagement Interview before they married, Ed was sitting next to her.) It was a positive statement. Thanks for posting the article. Sophie does do her Royal duties with dignity. It is sad that more of the press does not give her praise.
By mandy on November 23rd, 2006 at 6:17 am
I agree with Mandy. I think Sophie is coming along beautifully!
By ann l. on November 27th, 2006 at 2:51 am
Princess Diana was also considered a Commoner. Love Sophie!
By cindy on December 31st, 2006 at 2:11 am