Prince William and Princess Kate are said to be looking up to Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie as role models for their own parenting style, admiring their ability to keep their children away from the public eye.
Their daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, has even been able to hold down a job at a garden centre. Sophie is believed to have become a trusted confidante and "sounding board" for Kate, with the two women forming a strong bond.
William also reportedly enjoys a good relationship with his uncle, Edward, according to Rebecca English, the Royal Editor of the Daily Mail.
English wrote: "It's unsurprising to many in royal circles that they have become role models to the Prince and Princess of Wales, who greatly admire the way they have brought up their children out of the public spotlight (at one point 16th-in-line-to-the-throne Louise even had a job working in a local garden centre for £6.83 an hour)."
Sophie was seen offering a comforting pat on the back to William after the royals' appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour on Saturday. He was also spotted standing with Edward at the Order of the Garter service on Monday.
The appeal of Edward and Sophie to the Prince and Princess of Wales may be due to their more relaxed lifestyle, with the couple often being spotted shopping at Co-op and enjoying family holidays on the Isles of Scilly, reports the Mirror.
In a delightful anecdote, a family friend recalled a holiday incident where an unsuspecting member of the public told Edward he was a "dead ringer" for the Queen's youngest, hinting at their knack for avoiding the spotlight.
Royal enthusiasts won't be taken aback by this, as Edward and Sophie have been bending Royal rules long before they exchanged vows on June 19, 1999.
Before she became royalty, Sophie Rhys-Jones, a tyre salesman's daughter who had been with Edward for six years, made history as the first Royal girlfriend to stay overnight at Buckingham Palace without being married.
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Defying convention further, the pair insisted on maintaining their careers post-wedding. Edward was a production assistant for Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company and later ventured into TV production.
Sophie carved her own path in the PR world within the entertainment sector, though both would eventually trade their professions to serve as full-time royals from 2002 onwards.
While Charles, Andrew, and Anne, witnessed the collapse of their marriages, the hopeful Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Edward and Sophie, have thrived, blessed with two children.
Their son, James, the Earl of Wessex, is studying his GCSEs, while Lady Louise reads English literature at St Andrews University.
Today, Edward and Sophie are set to commemorate their silver wedding anniversary, planning a low-key celebration with close friends at Royal Ascot, true to their understated style.
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