Sophie Countess of Wessex REBELLED against royal tradition on her wedding day

Sophie Countess of Wessex had her wedding day to Prince Edward in 1999.

Formerly known as Sophie Rhys Jones, she worked in PR when she tied the knot to the prince.

The couple were pictured at Ascot together this year, where they celebrated their wedding anniversary.

The public have been spoilt with royal weddings in the past two years, first with the nuptials of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and then with the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.

There was similar media attention for Sophie and Edward’s wedding.

However, the royal rebels broke an unofficial wedding tradition many look forward to on the big day.

A royal wedding kiss is a major part of the ceremony, and a big part of the day for the couple and the public.

Prince Charles and Diana thrilled by locking lips on Buckingham Palace’s balcony in 1981.

Sarah and Prince Andrew did the same later in 1986. However, the youngest son of the Queen bucked this trend.

Sophie and Edward did not seal their marriage vows with public a kiss.

Why the pair made this choice it is unknown.

At the time the Irish Times reported: “They resisted pleas from photographers to kiss on the steps – aware perhaps that to do so would have encouraged comparisons with previous royal couples – and instead climbed into a royal landau which drove them through the narrow streets of Windsor.”

The private couple may have been camera shy as their wedding was not an official state event.

In fact, both worked privately at the time, Sophie in PR, and Edward in the arts, for a few years after they wed.

Only then did they give up work in the private sphere and become full time working royals.

This means they receive money from the privy purse, dolled out by the Queen and paid to her by the taxpayer.

Who are Sophie Countess of Wessex’s children? 

They have had two children together, Lady Louise Windsor, 15, and James, Viscount Severn, 11.

Four years after Sophie and Edward’s wedding they had their first child, Lady Louise Windsor who was born in 2003.

In 2007, their son, James, Viscount Severn, was born.

Royal weddings: Meghan, Kate, Eugenie and Diana

Meghan Markle

Who: His Royal Highness Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex)

Where: St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle

When: 19 May 2018, Berkshire

Dress: Meghan wore a dress designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The white dress was made of silk and had a boat neckline. The veil was an incredible 16 feet long.

Tiara: The Duchess of Sussex chose the Queen Mary diamond bandeau tiara, made in 1932, with a flower brooch in the middle from 1893.

Cake: The cake was a made by Claire Ptak, based in London. It was lemon and elderflower cake, decorated with peonies and buttercream icing.

Notable guests: A-list guests included James Corden, tennis player Serena Williams, the

Beckhams, Sir Elton John, George and Amal Clooney and Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford.

Princess Eugenie

Who: Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank

Where: St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, Berkshire

When: 12 October 2018

Dress: Eugenie’s dress was made by Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos and had a full skirt, long sleeves and was ivory in colour. The dress has a low back designed to show Euegnie’s scar from scoliosis surgery, a cause she has spoken out about in the past and since the wedding.

Tiara: She wore the stunning Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, lent to her by the Queen. It has a huge emerald in the middle.

Cake: The cake had five tiers and was a red velvet and chocolate cake made by London-based cake designer Sophie Cabot.

Notable guests: Famous faces at the wedding included Robbie Williams, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Jack Whitehall and Liv Tyler.

Kate Middleton

Who: Prince William and Kate Middleton

Where: Westminster Abbey, London

When: 29 April 2011

Dress: Kate wore a dress made by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The satin gown featured long lace sleeves. It had a nine foot train and the lace featured roses, daffodils, thistles and shamrocks.

Tiara: Kate borrowed the Cartier Scroll Tiara, now known as the Halo tiara. It bought by the Queen’s father, the future King George VI, for his wife Elizabeth.

Cake: William and Kate opted for a traditional fruit cake with eight tiers. It was decorated with sugar flowers. William also had an additional chocolate biscuit cake was made from a Royal Family recipe.

Notable guests: Guests included family and friends of the couple, as well as members of the military and people who work with charities the pair support.

Princess Diana

Who: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer

Where: St Paul’s Cathedral, London

When: 29 July 1981

Dress: Diana’s gown was designed by the Elizabeth and David Emanuel and had an enormous 25-foot train. The dress was ivory and featured lace. In typical 80s style the rather large dress had huge sleeves. The dress was badly creased during the carriage ride to the ceremony, as it was so large.

Cake: Diana and Charles had a number of cakes including a five-foot-tall layered fruitcake. Another cake was made by Belgian pastry chef S. G. Sender and another by Chef Nicholas Lodge.

Notable guests: Guests includes foreign royals from Spain and Greece, as well as First Lady Nancy Reagan who represented the United States.

source: express.co.uk