Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex made sure they sent a thank you message to their royal fans after being inundated with messages on their 20th wedding anniversary. The letter reads: "The Earl and Countess of Wessex thought it very kind of you to write to them on the occasion of their 20th wedding anniversary. Although unable to reply personally, Their Royal Highnesses send you their best." A picture of the letter was shared on royal blog Gert's Royals.
Prince Edward married Sophie on 19 June, 1999
The note itself was written by Jackie Phipps, the royal couple's Secretarial Assistant. Unlike other members of the British royals, the letter was sent from their residence, Bagshot Park, rather than their London-based office.
READ: Why Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex didn't kiss publicly on their wedding day
For their milestone anniversary on 19 June, Prince Edward and Sophie made a glamorous appearance at Ascot. The royal couple, who met at a tennis match in 1993 and married in 1999, had a relatively simple royal wedding at St George's Chapel, with no ceremonial state or military involvement. Ahead of his big day, Prince Edward remarked: "We manage to have a good laugh about things most of the time, and we happen to love each other, which is the most important thing of all." Their wedding day was watched by 200 million viewers across the world, making it one of the most-viewed TV events in history.
Since their gorgeous Windsor nuptials, Edward and Sophie welcomed two children; James, Viscount Severn, born in 2007, and Lady Louise Windsor, born in 2003. Their path to parenthood wasn't the smoothest as Louise was born prematurely via an emergency Caesarean section. She also suffered from exotropia - a condition which turns the eyes outwards. Fortunately, Louise can now see normally following various operations.
MORE: A look back at Prince Edward and Sophie's wedding day
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