The Wessexes have come a long way from the scandals that once plagued them. Where once they were tabloid fodder, now they are two of the Firm’s most crucial players – with Sophie, Countess of Wessex even being touted as the Queen’s “favourite” among royal pundits.
Prince Edward and Sophie were initially pushed into the spotlight when the Duke of York found himself in the centre of a scandal surrounding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Virginia Giuffre – one of Epstein’s victims – accused Prince Andrew of sexually assaulting her three times. The Duke has strenuously denied these claims and settled a civil suit brought by Giuffre out of court. In an attempt to clear his name publicly, Andrew undertook an interview with Emily Maitlis of Newsnight in 2019. There was significant backlash to the interview and Andrew swiftly announced he would “step back from royal duties”.
