PRINCE Edward is the youngest child of the Queen and the late Prince Philip.
At birth, he was third in line to the throne, but has now been bumped down to twelfth.
Who is Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex?
Born on March 10, 1964, Prince Edward is the last born of the Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh.
The 57-year-old is younger brother to Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew.
The Earl of Wessex was born at Buckingham Palace and studied at Heatherdown School and Gordonstoun before spending time in New Zealand during his gap year.
He then attended the University of Cambridge, graduating in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in History.
Prince Edward had a brief stint in the Royal Marines before working in theatre and television and later forming him own company, Ardent Productions.
Since 2002, he has taken on full-time duties as a working member of the Royal Family and holds patronages within more than 70 charities and organisations.
Prince Edward tied the knot with Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999.
Who is Prince Edward’s wife Sophie?
The Countess of Wessex was born Sophie Helen Rhys Jones on January 20, 1965, in Oxford to parents Christopher Bournes Rhys Jones and Mary.
She was raised in a four bed 17th-century farmhouse in Brenchley, Kent, and began her education at Dulwich Preparatory School, before moving on to Kent College, Pembury.
While at Kent College she became friends with Sarah Sienesi, with whom she shared a flat in Fulham and who later became her lady-in-waiting.
Sophie then trained as a secretary at West Kent College, Tonbridge.
She then began a career in public relations, working for a variety of firms, including Capital Radio as well as public relations companies The Quentin Bell Organisation and MacLaurin Communications & Media.
In 1996, she launched her public relations agency, RJH Public Relations, which she ran with her business partner, Murray Harkin, for five years.
Sohpie, 56, met Prince Edward while working at Capital Radio for the first time in 1987.
At the time, the youngest son of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh was dating her friend.
But after meeting again at a charity event in 1993, the two began a relationship soon afterwards, and their engagement was announced on January 6, 1999.
Prince Edward proposed to Sophie with a two-carat oval diamond flanked by two heart-shaped gemstones set in 18-carat white gold, and was made by the Royal jeweller Garrard & Co.
It is worth an estimated £105,000.
Prince Edward and Sophie were married on June 19, 1999, at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle – the same location as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wedded at.
How many kids does Prince Edward have?
The Earl and Countess have two children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
Unlike the rest of the Queen’s grandchildren, Louise and James do not hold the title of princess and prince and are not addressed as HRH.
Lady Louise Windsor
Lady Louise, who is 17, was born prematurely at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey and was delivered by emergency C-section.
She previously attended school in Windsor before moving to an Ascot school near to her parents’ home, Bagshot Park.
Louise is 14th in line to the throne, behind her younger brother James, as they were both born before the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act, which officially ended the centuries-old rule that male offspring take precedence over females.
The young royal is said to have emerged as the Queen’s favourite following a lengthy stay at the monarch’s Scottish retreat, Balmoral, over the summer of 2019.
In 2011, aged seven, Louise was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Kate.
James, Viscount Severn
James, Viscount Severn is the Queen’s youngest grandchild.
He is 13th in succession to the throne, and will likely be taking on some more responsibility in the coming years.
James was born by caesarean section at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey. on December 17, 2007.
The BBC reported at the time that his father described his newborn son as “very cute and very cuddly”.
According to reports from Tatler, James is one of the Queen’s favourite grandchildren.
James was baptised in 2008 in the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle and his godparents are Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, Duncan Bullivant, Thomas Hill, Denise Poulton and Jeanye Irwin.
He currently attends Eagle House School – a prep school near Sandhurst in Berkshire.
The Wessex family, which also includes Louise’s 11-year-old brother James, Viscount Severn, are said to be close to the Queen and her late husband Philip.
A royal insider said: “The Queen loves the fact that Louise and James relish their time at Balmoral, and she has become particularly close to Louise, who seems to have become her favourite grandchild, closely followed by James.
“Louise also endeared herself to everyone by looking after William and Kate’s children when they were up here.
“Louise loves drawing and sketching and was very patiently trying to get Charlotte to do pictures of rabbits and deer.
“Because of her obvious artistic skill, the Queen allowed Louise to look through some of the collection of Queen Victoria’s Highlands sketches which are kept at Balmoral but are rarely dug out these days.”
