Sophie Wessex suffered 'traumatic' heartbreaks and near-death experiences on path to motherhood
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, endured heartbreak and two near-death experiences on her path to motherhood, a new biography reveals.
Sophie: Saving The Royal Family, by royal author Sean Smith, offers a deeply personal look at the Duchess's hidden struggles to conceive, and the remarkable resilience that carried her through, Mirror reports.
The former Countess of Wessex married Prince Edward in a glittering ceremony at St George's Chapel in Windsor in June 1999. But behind the smiles and royal fanfare, Sophie, then 34, was quietly confronting the reality that time was not on her side.
According to Smith, close friends noticed her making discreet visits to renowned Harley Street fertility expert Zita West, dubbed 'the baby whisperer.' Sophie followed holistic treatments that included acupuncture, Pilates and nutrition advice to improve her chances of conceiving.
In late 2001, she was overjoyed to learn she was pregnant. But tragedy struck just six weeks later. Sophie began experiencing severe stomach pains, and in the early hours, Prince Edward called for royal doctors. Fearing a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, they summoned an air ambulance to Bagshot Park.
She was flown to King Edward VII's Hospital in London, where she underwent emergency surgery lasting three hours. Sophie lost a significant amount of blood and required five pints to stabilise her condition.
Prince Edward, visibly shaken, addressed reporters outside the hospital. 'It's obviously a very traumatic time and my wife has... it's quite the most painful thing anyone can undergo. It's a pretty traumatic experience,' he said.
Sophie released her own statement soon after, sharing her heartbreak. 'I am obviously very sad but it was just not meant to be. But there will be other chances. The nurses have been unbelievably fantastic.'
Undeterred, the couple turned to IVF. Two failed rounds followed, but the third brought success. In 2003, Sophie fell pregnant again. Yet the joy would soon be overshadowed by another medical emergency.
Rushed to Frimley Park Hospital, Sophie was diagnosed with a placental abruption, a dangerous condition in which the placenta separates from the womb, cutting off oxygen to the baby. Doctors acted swiftly, delivering Lady Louise via emergency caesarean. The tiny newborn weighed just 4lb 9oz and was taken immediately to the neonatal unit.
Sophie was left in critical condition. She needed nine pints of blood and drifted in and out of consciousness. Prince Edward, returning urgently from a trip to Mauritius, arrived to find both his wife and daughter fighting for their lives. 'It's been a pretty fraught time,' he admitted.
The late Queen Elizabeth II broke royal protocol to visit her daughter-in-law in hospital. When Sophie was discharged 16 days later, the couple posed for photographs with their fragile newborn, their relief and gratitude etched across their faces.
'For the first ten years after Louise was born, I found it very hard to go to 'prem' wards. It would bring the whole thing back,' Sophie later revealed.
Her ordeal sparked a lifelong passion. The Duchess has since become a dedicated advocate for neonatal care and air ambulance services, the very systems that helped save her and her daughter.
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In 2007, Sophie and Edward welcomed their second child, James, Viscount Severn. This time, the pregnancy was straightforward and the delivery, a planned caesarean, went smoothly.
At home, Sophie worked to ensure her children had as normal a life as possible. The Queen, a devoted grandmother, would often sit and watch Mr Tumble on CBeebies with Louise and James during family visits to Windsor. Reflecting on the experience, Sophie once said: 'I guess not everyone's grandparents live in a castle, but where you are going is not the important part, or who they are.'
Her relationship with the late monarch grew even stronger through their shared experiences of motherhood and family life. Sophie embraced many of Her Majesty's favourite pastimes, including fishing in Scotland and pheasant shooting on royal estates.
Sophie: Saving The Royal Family by Sean Smith will be published on July 17.
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