Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex have no royal engagement this week as their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn are on a term break from school. Instead, the Wessex family are on a skiing holiday in an exclusive Swiss resort at St. Moritz.
Photos of Prince Edward and Sophie, as published on Daily Mail, showed the Wessex royals in high spirits as they bonded on the icy slopes with their teen children. Apparently, this skiing trip has become an annual family tradition and it is believed that they will be staying at the ski lodge just before the kids have to be back on school on Monday, Feb, 24.
The time off is indeed a welcome break as Prince Edward and Sophie started the year with a series of royal engagements. The Earl and Countess of Wessex are reportedly taking on more work for Queen Elizabeth as the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have scaled back from their royal work.
In January, Prince Edward and Sophie co-hosted a royal event to welcome South African delegates in Buckingham Palace with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate. Prior to the Switzerland trip, Sophie spent Valentine's Day with families at a children's hospice in London.
According to Town & Country, the Countess took time to read to the children and speak to their parents about the services of the charity. Countess Sophie also helped with icing some Valentine's Day biscuits as she bonded with the children and their carers.
The royal also went on a quick two-day trip to Sierra Leone just before her 55th birthday. While there, she visited women's centers and spoke with female leaders about nation-building and helping victims of violence.
Royal expert Phil Dampier said that Princes Edward and Sophie have kept a low profile all these years but the countess is slowly becoming "a star in her own right." Sophie is said to be very close to Queen Elizabeth and now that their kids are a lot older, she's ready to take on more work for The Firm. Dampier believes that Sophie is happy to be stepping up for the Crown.
Prince Edward and Sophie have largely been successful at keeping their kids out of the royal spotlight. They also have one of the most stable marriages in the royal family and celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2019.
