For the Duchess of Edinburgh, the early years of her marriage to Prince Edward were punctuated by incredible highs and equally incredible lows.
In 2001, Sophie was hospitalised following an ectopic pregnancy and then two years later the heavily pregnant Duchess was once again rushed to hospital following a sudden placental abruption.
The health scare put both Sophie and her soon-to-be born daughter’s life at risk with Louise being born via an emergency caesarean section.
And the dramatic birth all took place while Edward was thousands of miles away on a royal tour of Mauritius.
Lady Louise was then diagnosed with the eye condition esotropia where one of her eyes was turning inwards.
Tragedy struck in August 29, 2005 when Sophie’s mother – Mary Rhys-Jones – died aged 71 following a short battle with colon cancer.
Writing in his biography about Sophie, royal author Sean Smith looks back at how Mary’s passing – who died 20 years ago today – had a profound impact on her.
According to Smith, because Mary died when Louise was just 18 months old and two years before her grandson James was born, it was a ‘source of great regret for Sophie’ that Mary ‘missed out on seeing her grandchildren grow up’.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in July 2005 at a service to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The the early years of Sophie’s marriage to Prince Edward were punctuated by incredible highs and equally incredible lows
Sophie’s mother Mary Rhys-Jones. Tragedy struck in August 2005 when Mary died aged 71 following a short battle with colon cancer
Sophie and Edward’s children – Louise and James. According to author Sean Smith, it was a ‘source of great regret for Sophie’ that Mary ‘missed out on seeing her children grow up’
Mary’s funeral took place two weeks later on September 16 2005 at St George’s Parish Church, in Benenden, Kent.
The service was led by former Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Peter Nott, who was a close friend of Mary and had been in charge of Sophie and Edward’s wedding.
Smith wrote: ‘The turnout at the local church was huge, a tribute to a woman who was a very popular and sociable member of the community for many years.’
Edward and David Rhys-Jone both gave readings at the service.
Born in 1934, Mary’s early life could not have been more different than the one enjoyed by her grandchildren.
She came from a family of mainly Irish shopkeepers and farmers. Mary married her husband Christopher Rhys-Jones in 1961 and then had a career as a part-time secretary and charity worker.
Her final years were defined by Sophie’s marriage into the royal family which led Mary to find ‘unexpected prominence late in life’ – as the Daily Mail wrote at the time of her death.
The mother had been concerned for her daughters future when she joined the Royal Family. ‘Fearing that her marriage might go the same way as Diana and Fergie’s. She needn’t have been concerned,’ Smith wrote.
A pregnant Sophie in October 2003. Sophie would be rushed to hospital a month later following a sudden placental abruption.
Sophie’s parents Christopher and Mary Rhys-Jones. Mary’s final years were defined by Sophie’s marriage into the royal family which led her to find ‘unexpected prominence late in life’
Sophie and Edward with a baby Louise in December 2003. Louise was born via an emergency caesarean section
He continued that it would be some years before Sophie ‘shared her deep sense of loss with the public’.
‘I miss her very much and there are moments where I hear some music she loved or do something I know she’d have wanted to hear about, which makes her early departure very hard,’ Sophie said at the time.
‘She has missed out on so much and I’m particularly sad the she hasn’t seen my children grow up or seen how my work has grown and developed,’ she added.
Sophie’s father is now 94 and has lived to see his grandchildren grow – with Louise now attending the University of St Andrews.
As recently as 2023, Christopher was spotted on a rare outing with Sophie to Ascot.
The father and daughter were spotted in the Royal Enclosure enjoying the horse racing with their around each other in a warm embrace.
Sophie and Edward at her mother’s funeral. The service was led by former Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Peter Nott, who was a close friend of Mary and had been in charge of Sophie and Edward’s wedding
Queen Elizabeth II and Sophie together at Windsor. After her mother’s passing, Sophie grew closer to the late Queen, whom she was heard calling ‘mama’ on occasions
Sophie and her father together at Ascot in June 2023
After her mother’s passing, Sophie grew closer to the late Queen, whom she was heard calling ‘mama’ on occasion, including at a Diamond Jubilee Trust event at Buckingham Palace in 2019.
In the Queen’s final years, former aides described the Queen’s relationship with Sophie as ‘like mother and daughter’, adding: ‘There is a great deal of love and mutual respect between them.’
Sophie’s fondness for Queen Elizabeth II was reciprocated with the Duchess of Edinburgh often being described as the monarch’s ‘favourite’ family member .
And following Prince Philip’s death in 2021, Sophie became the Queen’s ‘rock’.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.celebrity.land.co.uk ’
