The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have been happily married for over 24 years - but a royal expert has claimed that Duchess Sophie took a leap of faith by marrying Edward when she did.
- Duchess Sophie made a courageous decision to tie the knot with Prince Edward, in light of the 'trauma' the royal family had faced just before they married.
- The pair said 'I do' following the breakdown of all of the Queen's children's marriages.
- In other royal news, we're obsessed with Carole Middleton's thick 80s bangs in this old photo of her as a new mom with newborn Princess Catherine.
Despite a happy marriage that has spanned over 24 years and seen them raise children Lady Louise Windsor and James the Earl of Wessex at their family home of Bagshot Park, Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward are said to have been brave to tie the knot when they did.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh's wedding in June of 1999 followed a sour stint of failed royal marriages for Queen Elizabeth II's three oldest children.
With the extremely public breakdown of Princess Diana and King Charles's marriage, Prince Andrew and Duchess Sarah Ferguson's divorce and the end of Princess Anne's first marriage and the controversial start of her second marriage all still looming over the royal fold, an expert says that Duchess Sophie had great courage to become a royal bride at the time.
Commenting on the uncertain timing of the wedding of Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, whose maiden name was Sophie Rhys-Jones, former royal correspondent Jennie Bond explained, "Sophie had seen at first hand the trauma of the Diana years, the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage, the Yorks' divorce and Anne’s divorce and second marriage. It was probably quite courageous to become another royal bride!"
Speaking to OK!, Jennie went on to explain that while things hadn't been plain sailing for Charles, Andrew and Anne, Sophie and Edward were certain that they were a solid match.
"By the time they got married, both Edward and Sophie were 34 and mature enough to know that they were right for one another," she said.
Having become parents and formed a thriving happy family as a pair, the couple have become an essential part of King Charles's monarchy, taking on life as key working royals.
With Sophie having been praised for using her kind and gentle nature to help 'pompous' Edward grow and thrive, Jennie also pointed out that they are each other's pillars of peace and support.
"Edward and Sophie have a very secure marriage and seem to support one another in everything they do. They are also absolutely devoted parents to Lady Louise and James."
