The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are popular members of the royal family and have been stepping up their royal duties following the news that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Whenever the duo are out together, they make the best team and clearly have a lot of fun together and nowadays the pair are seen as some of the unsung heroes of the royal family.
But how much do you know about their relationship, from how Edward and Sophie met to when they got married and became parents? Read on to learn more about the royal couple's love story…
How did the couple meet?
© Tim GrahamSophie, then called Sophie Rhys-Jones, first met the Queen's youngest son at Capital Radio in 1987, although romance didn't bloom as the Prince was going out with her friend at the time.
They bumped into each other again in 1993 at a charity event. At the time, Sophie worked as a public relations executive, co-owning the firm RJH Public Relations with her business partner Murray Harkin.
Edward and Sophie began dating, and rumours swirled that things were becoming serious between them after the royal brought Sophie as his guest to royal weddings and events.
The pair's engagement
© Tim GrahamThe couple were in no rush to settle down, however, and didn't announce their engagement until January 1999, when they were both 34 years old.
What was Sophie's engagement ring like?
© Tim GrahamEdward popped the question with a stunning Asprey and Garrard white gold ring featuring a two-carat oval diamond surrounded by two heart-shaped gemstones, rumoured to be worth £105,000.
Sophie and Edward's wedding
© Pool/Tim Graham Picture LibraryThe couple tied the knot the summer after their engagement, marrying at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank would go on to do in 2018.
The ceremony took place on 19 June 1999 and was smaller and less formal than other royal weddings. The event featured an intimate guest list, no military involvement and those attending were asked not to wear hats – although the Queen Mother stylishly defied that recommendation!
The couple's children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex
© Max Mumby/IndigoThe couple are doting parents to two children. They welcomed their daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, on 8 November 2003, and went on to have a son, James, Earl of Wessex, on 17 December 2007. James is the youngest of the Queen's grandchildren and the only one who is under the age of 18.
Sophie has previously spoken about wanting their children to lead as normal lives as possible, including not encouraging them to use their royal titles.
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In an interview with The Sunday Times in 2020, the mum-of-two said: "We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it's highly unlikely."
