Latest news with #Sophie:SavingTheRoyalFamily
Daily Record
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Lady Louise Windsor's Strictly treat from Sophie after 'coping with George and Charlotte'
Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, took charge of a group of young pageboys and bridesmaids at Princess Eugenie's wedding Lady Louise Windsor, eldest offspring of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, took charge of a lively group of young pageboys and bridesmaids at just 15-years-old – and earned herself a trip around the Strictly Come Dancing studios for her trouble. Lady Louise 's cool-headed handling of duties at her cousin Princess Eugenie's wedding to businessman Jack Brooksbank earned her high praise, leading her mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, to reward her with a special Strictly themed surprise. In his book 'Sophie: Saving The Royal Family', author Sean Smith recounts how Louise adeptly managed the boisterous children: "She clung on tightly to the hands of the pageboys, one of whom was Prince George, the eldest son of William and Kate, but another, Louis de Givenchy, fell over as a strong gust of wind blew down the chapel steps. "Louise had to haul him smartly to his feet," Sean writes, "Then, Princess Charlotte, George's sister, took a tumble as well." Despite challenging conditions that included sudden wind gusts causing chaos with the royals' attire, Louise executed her role as "special attendant" with great skill. After fulfilling her role and sitting beside the Tindalls, Zara gave her a comforting pat on the wrist while Mike quietly expressed his approval with a "well done." But perhaps Lady Louise's most valuable act of assistance came after the ceremony had come to an end. As Kate Middleton joined other royals outside St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, a sudden gust of wind nearly caused the Princess's Alexander McQueen dress to fly up. "Fortunately for Kate," Sean notes, "she was standing next to Sophie, who placed a hand strategically to keep the dress down and then positioned herself close to her so that it wouldn't happen a second time." At this point, the younger royals hadn't yet adopted the late Queen's method of sewing small lead weights into the hem of her skirts to avoid any unintended "Marilyn Monroe moments." Sophie, as a proud mother, rewarded Louise with a special outing – a trip to Elstree Film and Television Studios to see an episode of Strictly Come Dancing being recorded live. The programme is a Royal household favourite, according to Sean: "Often, [Sophie and Louise] would make the trek over to Windsor Castle and watch it with the Queen, who was also a fan. Camilla and Charles, too, watched it every Saturday." For Louise, the opportunity to witness the celebrities in person was particularly thrilling. Host Tess Daly provided Sophie and Louise with a backstage tour before escorting them to their seats in the front row. Louise expressed her delight to Tess, saying: "This is such a treat." Sophie and Louise merrily participated as the whole crowd applauded, while Graeme Swann and Oti Mabuse executed a 1940s-styled Quickstep to the Andrews Sisters' classic "Sing Sing Sing."
Daily Record
13-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Sophie Wessex suffered 'traumatic' heartbreaks and near-death experiences on path to motherhood
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, married Prince Edward in 1999 and shares two children with him, but faced struggles to conceive 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. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 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.
Daily Mirror
13-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Sophie Wessex 'nearly died twice' in desperate journey to become a mother
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, shares children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, with husband Prince Edward who she married in 1999 aged 34 - but she struggled to conceive For the Duchess of Edinburgh, the road to motherhood was filled with heartbreak and two terrifying near death experiences, according to a new biography. Sophie: Saving The Royal Family by Sean Smith, lays bare Sophie's secret struggles to have children. The now mother-of-two married Prince Edward in a star studded ceremony at St George's Chapel, Windsor, in June 1999. But behind the smiles, the Countess - as she was then - was quietly aware that time was against her. At 34, she longed to start a family but feared her biological clock was ticking. Friends noticed her discreet visits to Harley Street fertility expert Zita West, dubbed the 'baby whisperer,' who prescribed holistic therapies including Pilates, acupuncture and nutritional guidance to boost her chances of conceiving. In late 2001, Sophie's joy was uncontainable when she discovered she was pregnant. But her happiness was short-lived. At just six weeks, she began suffering stomach pains. In the early hours of the morning, Edward sprang into action, summoning royal doctors. Fearing an ectopic pregnancy - where a fertilised egg implants outside the womb - they called for an air ambulance. As the helicopter landed on the lawn at Bagshot Park, Sophie was rushed to London's King Edward VII's Hospital. She underwent emergency surgery lasting three hours and required five pints of blood. Outside the hospital, Edward, visibly shaken, addressed waiting reporters. '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 later released a statement expressing 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.' Determined not to give up, the couple turned to IVF. After two unsuccessful rounds, their third attempt worked and in summer 2003 Sophie was pregnant again. This time she took no chances, stepping back from royal duties and giving up horse riding to protect her pregnancy. By November 2003, she was glowing as she carried out engagements. But just two days after opening Childline's new headquarters, another scare hit the couple. Alone at home while Edward was on an official visit to Mauritius, Sophie suffered intense stomach pain. She was rushed to Frimley Park Hospital. Doctors diagnosed a placental abruption, where the placenta separates from the womb, cutting off oxygen to the baby. Sophie was losing blood fast. An emergency caesarean delivered baby Lady Louise prematurely at just 4lb 9oz. She was whisked to a neonatal unit while doctors battled to save Sophie, who required nine pints of blood and drifted in and out of consciousness. Edward flew back from Mauritius in shock to find both his wife and newborn fighting for their lives. 'It's been a pretty fraught time,' he admitted. The late Queen Elizabeth II broke protocol to visit her youngest son's wife in hospital. When Sophie was discharged after 16 days, she and Edward posed with their tiny daughter, the relief evident on 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 said. But out of her trauma came purpose. The Duchess became a passionate advocate for neonatal care and air ambulance services - the same people that had saved her and her daughter. In 2007, Sophie and Edward welcomed a second child, James, Viscount Severn. Miraculously, this pregnancy was straightforward and delivered safely by planned caesarean. At home, Sophie sought to give her children as normal an upbringing as possible. The Queen, a doting grandmother, would often watch Mr Tumble on CBeebies with Louise and James during family visits to Windsor. 'I guess not everyone's grandparents live in a castle, but where you are going is not the important part, or who they are,' Sophie reflected. Her bond with the late Queen deepened through shared experiences of family life. Sophie even learned to embrace her mother-in-law's passions - fishing in Scotland and shooting pheasant on royal estates.
