sophie wessex ski rep© Photo: Getty Images

Sophie Wessex's unexpected job pre-royal life will surprise you

Who knew?!

Wellness Editor
September 29, 2022

It's well-known that Sophie Wessex met her husband, Prince Edward, while working at Capital Radio in 1987, but before her job as a publicist at the station, the Countess of Wessex had a different role altogether.

READ: Sophie Wessex's nasty accident almost made her miss crucial royal event

Prior to embarking on her career in PR, Sophie worked as a ski rep in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana. While it's not known exactly what her role entailed, ski representatives are normally in charge of ensuring that trips run smoothly for holiday-makers, and involve liaison with hotels and chalets, ski schools and ski hire.

WATCH: The Countess of Wessex: Everything you need to know about Sophie

Being a keen skier, it makes sense that the Countess of Wessex decided to become a ski rep, allowing her to take to the slopes on a daily basis.

SEE: Sophie Wessex's touching nod to the Queen that you might have missed

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Sophie's passion for snow sports also influenced her royal patronages, with the 57-year-old working as patron of the UK Armed Forces Winter Sports Association.

The Earl of Wessex is an avid skier too, with the couple often taking their children, Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and James Viscount Severn, 14, on family trips to the mountains.

© Photo: Getty Images

Sophie Wessex loves skiing

The mother-of-two's skiing hobby isn't without peril, though. Despite being an experienced skier, Sophie has had a few skiing accidents. The royal first took a tumble way back in 2000, when she was 35 years old, and was photographed returning to work on crutches following a nasty fall.

SEE: The Countess of Wessex's history-making outfit - hidden details revealed

In 2004, the then 39-year-old returned to the UK on crutches once more after pulling a muscle in her right leg while skiing.

© Photo: Getty Images

Sophie Wessex is an accomplished skiier

The exact details of Sophie's accident are not known, but it was reported that visibility was poor when she got hurt. The mother-of-two declined the offer of a stretcher, insisting that she could make her own way to a doctor.

"The Countess pulled a calf muscle but it is not serious," revealed her spokeswoman. "She was checked out by a doctor and discharged after 20 minutes. Fortunately, nothing was broken."

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