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Privacy NoticeIn a year which has seen two of its most valuable players taking time out to focus on their health, the Royal Family has sometimes seemed rather thin on the ground. Even though this has presented a challenge, it has allowed other stars to have their chance to shine, and chief amongst them is the Duchess of Edinburgh. In her latest move, Sophie, 59, travelled to Tanzania for a tour which brought together her main areas of charitable interest – avoidable blindness, health and, most of all, gender equality. This move, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond says, proved she is one of the monarchy’s greatest assets and someone King Charles will be proud to have supporting him.
The Duchess carried out a visit to Tanzania
“She may look like the perfect English rose: demure, understated and genteel – but she is also a tigress when it comes to championing women’s rights… and I love that about her,” Jennie praises as she exclusively talks to OK! “Sophie describes herself as a firm believer in equality between men and women. She exercises soft diplomatic power on behalf of the King and country, and brings wonderful common sense power when it comes to women’s place in the world. “She is seen as a safe pair of hands when carrying out her royal engagements either with the rest of the family or by herself,” Jennie points out. “She doesn’t complain, she doesn’t demand, she just gets on with supporting the King when asked, and with pursuing her interests the rest of the time. She often does this under the radar, expecting no special treatment and is now absolutely part of the core working royals.”
The King will be “grateful” for his sister-in-law
(Image: Getty Images)
Even though she is already beloved for her understated and fun-loving approach to royal duties, the visit left little doubt that it’s not just King Charles who will be grateful for Sophie as her husband, Prince Edward, 60, will also be proud of everything his wife has achieved since she married into the Royal Family. “I think Edward is immensely proud of his wife. She paid a very loving and emotional tribute to her husband when he turned 60, and they are obviously devoted to one another and, for them, romance is very much not dead even after 25 years of marriage! More importantly, Sophie said that Edward was still her best friend. This is a couple who really like each other as well as love one another.” The couple first met at London’s Capital Radio in 1987, but it wasn’t until six years later, when they bumped into each other at a charity tennis match, that their romance began. Edward proposed to Sophie on holiday in 1998, and they announced their engagement in January 1999.
The couple married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor on June 19, 1999
(Image: Getty)
After their wedding in June of the same year, the couple welcomed their first child, Lady Louise Windsor, in 2003 and later completed their family in 2007 with the birth of their son, James, Earl of Wessex. In many ways, the couple have achieved what royal couples of the past have strived to do – to be in an entirely equal partnership. “Diana, Princess of Wales always used to tell me that she and Charles would have made ‘such a good team’, well, that’s exactly what Edward and Sophie have proved themselves to be,” Jennie says warmly. “She has spoken about the help and advice he has given her over the years – even admitting that she doesn’t always take his advice. They share their notes about their speeches and both care a great deal about the charities they support.
The couple are keen supporters of one another
(Image: Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)
“In many ways Edward and Sophie have managed to be the most private of couples. They look like a strong and stable team – but without being particularly tactile in public or showy – and the strength of their marriage speaks for itself.” With tours like these often taking an emotional toll – which Sophie is all too familiar with after previous visits to war torn and troubled regions such as Ukraine, Kosovo, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo – how will the couple have been there for one another? “I imagine they have a private WhatsApp connection and stay in touch that way,” Jennie says. “I’m sure Edward is very solicitous about how Sophie is doing as he knows the physical and emotional weight tours like this carry. When she got home they undoubtedly sat down and shared all that they had been doing in the few days they’ve been apart because they have an equal partnership and are mutually supportive of their work.”
The couple have been married for 25 years
During her tour of Tanzania, the Duchess carried out many important engagements as she travelled between Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Arusha. But two of the biggest highlights drew on her interests in gender equality – which stretch from women empowerment to the prevention of female genital mutilation (FGM) and raising awareness against sexual violence in conflict areas. On the first day of the tour, Sophie arrived at Magomeni Health Centre in Dar es Salaam; a primary health facility offering essential sexual health and family planning services. She highlighted her passions again a few days later with a visit to meet female Tanzanian farmers to learn how women are being empowered through opportunities in science and agriculture. Elsewhere, Sophie focused on the plight of avoidable blindness around the world, something which holds a deep place in her heart as her own daughter, Lady Louise, was born with esotropia and underwent two different surgeries to correct her vision.
The Duchess’ visit to Tanzania was a success
After delivering a short speech from King Charles and praising Tanzania’s work to rid the country of trachoma – the infectious and blinding eye disease – she set the ambitious task for the whole of the Commonwealth to do the same by 2030. It has been a busy year of milestones for Edward and Sophie so far as they marked Edward’s 60th birthday back in March, and most recently celebrated their silver wedding anniversary in June. Not only is Prince Edward the only one of Queen Elizabeth II’s four children not to be divorced, but he has managed to find a wife with the strength of character to thrive in the Royal Family, while using her immense platform to benefit others.
The Duchess of Edinburgh paid a heartfelt tribute to her husband on his 60th birthday
(Image: Getty Images)
“Sophie’s longstanding and loyal love for her man speaks volumes,” Jennie says. “They have a very secure marriage and seem to support one another in everything they do.” The genuine love the couple have for one another is undeniable, as Sophie proved with a heartfelt speech to mark her husband’s 60th birthday back in March where she called him “the best of fathers, the most loving of husbands and still is my best friend.” Prompting Edward to wipe away tears, Sophie said, “Like my father-in-law, my husband never seeks compliments for himself. So when acknowledgment has come his way it has always been a total surprise to him, which is why I am grateful for this chance to, for once, be able to publicly celebrate and compliment him. So here’s to you my darling Edward and may I along with all your family and so many friends and many others wish you the happiest of birthdays.” With another hugely successful tour behind her, it is clear to see just how lucky the Royal Family is to have the Duchess of Edinburgh among its ranks.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnSophie, Duchess of EdinburghPrince EdwardLady Louise WindsorJames, Earl of WessexRoyal FamilyKing Charles IIIEdward and Sophie
