Sophie Countess of Wessex wedding: When did she get married? How she met Prince Edward

Sophie, Countess of Wessex will soon be celebrating a huge milestone in her marriage to Prince Edward.  The Earl and Countess married at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on June 19 1999, which means the pair will soon be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary.  Since the wedding, they have had two children together, Lady Louise Windsor, 15, and James, Viscount Severn, 11.  How did she meet her husband and how will they celebrate?

Before she married into the Royal Family, the Countess was better known as Sophie Rhys Jones.

She met her husband for the first time in 1987 while she was working at Capital Radio.

However, as Edward was dating one of Sophie’s friends at the time, they went their separate ways and did not see each other again for years.

In 1993, they reportedly met again at a charity event and soon began dating.

After dating for six years, they announced their engagement on January 6 1999.

Prince Edward proposed to Sophie with a two-carat oval diamond which was flanked by two heart-shaped gemstones.

The ring was set in 18-carat white gold and designed by the jeweller Garrard and was worth an estimated £105,000.

The couple tied the knot just months after making their engagement public and she was given the official title of Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Although she married a Prince, and the son of the Queen, she was not given the title of Princess or Duchess.

This is because Prince Edward took on the title of Earl of Wessex after he married Sophie, reportedly by request. 

Sophie was given the title based on being the wife of a Earl rather than of a Prince, and she was named the Countess of Wessex.

The couple have two children together, but they also do not have the titles of Prince or Princess like their royal cousins.

Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, were given the titles of an Earl and not of a Prince.

Sophie has been a full-time member of the Royal Family for nearly 20-years, but her star sign could reveal her progressive and original approach to the role. 

She was born on 20 January 1965, which meaning she is an Aquarius, which makes her progressive, original and independent, according to astrology-zodiac-signs.com.