Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, and his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, are going to take the center stage this week in Buckingham Palace. The two royals are going to be side-by-side Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they host an important summit on behalf of Queen Elizabeth.
According to Daily Express, Prince Edward and Sophie will join their nephew and niece, Prince William and Kate, in welcoming important guests who will be discussing quality investments and partnerships between U.K. and Africa economic leaders. They will also be joined by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Princess Royal, Princess Anne.
The news of Prince Edward and Sophie stepping up comes as Prince Harry and Meghan have decided they will no longer be senior working members of the family. In the spring, the Sussex pair will officially move out of London and raise their son, Archie Harrison, in Canada.
According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the upcoming summit will once again bring the spotlight back to Prince William and Kate. As future King and Queen Consort, they will likely find themselves with more work and pressures this year.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Countess of Wessex is set to celebrate her 55 th birthday working at the special summit. Though Prince William and Kate are leading the royal family, Sophie, Prince Edward and Princess Anne will help out in welcoming the guests at the reception. The royals are also expected to be in the group photo with the visiting guests from Africa.
Prince Edward and Sophie have represented the Queen and even their father, Prince Philip, before. This event, however, is deemed as a huge step up in the absence of Prince Harry and Meghan, who will no longer be officially representing the Queen in other royal events.
The Queen is, currently, staying in Sandringham following the Christmas holidays. She won't be expected back at her London home until the first week of February.
In a statement to the press, Queen Elizabeth confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan will lose their HRH titles as they want to start a new life as private individuals. They will also be staying most of the time in Canada and North America. The agreement, however, may be reviewed after a year but, for now, the Sussex pair are going to enjoy their new independence away from royal life.
